


Growing Up

by kate1zena, Mykael



Series: Arkham's Red Hood [9]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Birthday, Birthday Sex, Caught, Childhood, Children, Christmas, Crushes, Dating, Estrangement, Explicit Sexual Content, Family, Family Fluff, Family Reunions, First Crush, Fluff, Growing Up, Halloween, Halloween Costumes, Horny Teenagers, Injury Recovery, M/M, Major Character Injury, Married Couple, Married Life, Masturbation, One Shot Collection, Open Marriage, Pets, Polyamory, Prompt Fic, School, Thanksgiving, Vigilantism, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-07
Updated: 2018-02-04
Packaged: 2018-04-20 09:38:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 71
Words: 138,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4782605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kate1zena/pseuds/kate1zena, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mykael/pseuds/Mykael
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Series of One-Shots, mostly BatFamily fluff, drama, and dysfunction.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Dad

**Author's Note:**

> Note: So, since I'm kinda OCD, I've been moving chapters in chronological order. New stories will have (New) written next to the chapter title, temporarily so you know what's,..well, new. xD Anywho, enjoy, and feel free to drop a prompt idea whenever.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason finds that he likes being a dad after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Prompt:** Jason being a dad.
> 
> This prompt was made a long ass time ago, but I had no idea what to write for it. Until this morning. I started writing and this came out, and I think it works just fine, no? ^^
> 
> Dick - 27  
> Jason - 24  
> Kaden - 1

Jason woke to the sight of his boyfriend sleeping soundly beside him. Lances of light pierced the window signaling the coming of dawn. Jason smiled tiredly, his hand coming to rest on Dick’s face, thumb stroking idly over his cheek. Dick gave s soft, contented hum as he woke, staring at Jason, his eyes half open, a smile tugging at his lips.

“G’morning,” Dick murmured. Jason smiled at him and leaned forward, pressing a tender kiss to his lips.

“Sorry, did I wake you?” Dick stretched a bit, followed by a yawn as he scooted closer to Jason, snuggling up against him. 

“Nah. But this is a nice way to wake up,” Dick said softly, stealing a kiss. Jason’s smile brightened a bit, and he opened his mouth to speak, only to be interrupted by the sounds of crying; the baby was awake. He sighed deeply and sat up, pushing Dick back down onto the bed.

“It’s okay, I’ve got him,” Jason said. Jason pulled himself out of bed and pulled on a pair of black pajama bottoms, shuffling out of the bedroom and down toward Kaden’s room. He slipped inside to find the infant crying and squirming in his crib. 

“Morning champ,” he said with a smile reaching down and picking the crying child up. He made soft cooing sounds before moving back out into the kitchen, rocking the baby in one arm and fixing the coffee pot with the other. It had been two months since he’d brought baby Kaden home. He had been so hesitant at first; he definitely wanted Kaden, to be the father his own wasn’t, but if he was honest, he had also been scared. What if he fucked up? What if he was a bad dad? He was still processing the idea of even _being_ a dad. But he knew two things for certain; he liked being a dad, and he loved this little boy.

He knew raising a kid wouldn’t be easy, but he wanted to raise _his son_. Lord knew he was not the most fit parent; he wasn’t exactly the picture of good mental health. He had his insecurities and his issues, the put it mildly. He was the Red Hood, a murderous vigilante, though he had curbed his killing significantly. And then there was Bruce. Jason found that he was not as angry with Bruce as he once was, but instead...scared of him.

Once again, Jason was not exactly fit to raise a kid, and Bruce had power, influence, money...if he wanted to take Kaden away, he could. And considering their shared history, it would seem like the wisest course. So yeah, Jason was, on the inside, terrified that Bruce might try to take Kaden away. But so far, he’d shown no inclination to do so, but instead, interjected himself at every opportunity to help him. To help him and Dick. His _boyfriend_. That was another thing that’d take time to get used to, but he was happy with Dick, happy that the man had stayed with him, despite everything.

Jason was pulled from his thoughts when Kaden started to fuss. Jason hummed to him, a tune his mother used to hum to him, and prepared a bottle for the child. He moved into the living room and sat on the couch, cradling the baby in his arms as his chubby little hands took the bottle. Jason smiled a genuine smile as he stared down at that tiny little face. Kaden burped and dropped the bottle on the couch, then giggled at his father. Jason chuckled, smile widening as he kissed the baby’s forehead.

“I’ll protect you Kaden. No matter what,” Jason said softly, as he started to hum to the child again.

“Dada,” Kaden babbled, making the smile on Jason’s face brighten even more if that were possible. Jason continued to hum to him while the baby’s little arms and legs kicked, squirming in Jason’s arms, but content, looking up at his father with his blue eyes that Dick insisted were his father’s.

Dick stood in the doorway, smile plastered across his face as he just watched the sight before him. Jason rarely smiled like that; a genuinely happy smile, no hint of lust, cockiness, or smugness behind it. Just pure happiness. He didn’t get to see Jason smile like that often, but when he did, he preserved those moments in his mind, the most precious of his memories. Jason was beautiful like this, smiling happily, cradling his son in his arms, he almost didn’t want to disturb him.

“Hey,” Dick finally called. Jason looked up, smile still intact as Dick moved across the room and sat down beside Jason, kissing Kaden;s forehead.

“You’re beautiful, y’know. All fatherly like this, and happy,” Dick said softly, stealing a kiss. Jason hummed contentedly as their lips met. He followed after Dick, deepening the kiss a little, Dick’s hand cupping the back of his neck, thumb stroking over the soft skin. Kaden giggled happily and the two of them parted to look down at the little boy.

“You like it when daddy kisses papa?” Jason asked with a small smile. Jason kissed him again and Kaden giggled again. Dick chuckled in amusement and gently patted Kaden's hair.

“I want this, Dick,” Jason suddenly said, looking down at Kaden. Dick gave Jason an inquisitive look. Their eyes met and Jason continued “a family. You, me, Kaden. I’ve never been so...happy...in my life.”

“Wow. Getting soft on me Jaybird?” Dick teased, a grin tugging at his lips, Jason snorted.

“Way to ruin a moment you ass.”

“Language,” Dick warned.

“Bite me.”

“Maybe later.”

Jason looked back down at Kaden, who looked like he was going t pass out again, then back to Dick.

“I’m serious though. I know I’m not exactly stable-”

“That’s putting it mildly,” Dick joked, earning a jab in his side from Jason

“But I’d...like to give this a shot. Do you...think you’d want that?” Jason asked, a gentle blush blossoming on his face. Dick smiled, his heart doing backflips. He wanted to tease Jason just a little more, because it was so fun, but instead, he opte to kiss him.

“I’d like that.” Jason smiled warmly as his eyes returned the his sleeping son’s face.

“I want to be a good dad, Dick. I want...I don’t want my life for him. I want to protect him from all the shit I went through, y’know? This is like...my chance to do things right. To...I just...dammit,” Jason said softly, a frustrated growl escaping him when he couldn’t find the right words. Dick smiled at him again, hand cupping the man’s face, turning him so he could look him in the eyes. Then he leaned forward and place a chaste kiss on his lips.

“I know what you mean, Jaybird. And you’ll be a great dad. You’re doing great right now,” Dick said softly. Jason smiled again, stealing yet another kiss.

“You tell anyone about this and I’ll kick your ass,” Jason said warningly, his tone holding some playfulness as he rocked the sleeping baby in his arms. Dick chuckled in amusement and cuddled a little closer to Jason.

“Your secret is safe with me.”

“Love you.”

“Love you too.” Jason looked down at Kaden and hummed softly to him.

“And I love you too, kid.”


	2. Baby Shopping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Prompt:** Baby Shopping and Bibs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, after a very long haitus (aka procrastination :D ) I finally finished a prompt for Growing Up. ^^ Without further ado, please enjoy. :D

Kaden giggled happily, flailing his little arms and legs in his stroller as Dick and Jason strolled down the aisle looking for new toys, clothes, diapers, the whole nine yards for Jason's new baby boy. They were currently in the baby clothes section looking for boy's clothes, Jason pushing the stroller and Dick picking out articles of clothing, shoes, bibs, everything. Jason couldn't help but to watch as his boyfriend shopped for Kaden; the man was really enjoying this. It was cute.

They started out with a basket, but with Dick grabbing almost everything in sight for Kaden and practically spoiling the little boy, he had to go back and get a cart. It was half full already, with toys, diapers, bottles, pajamas, and now clothes. 

“You see, Kaden? Dickie is a shop-a-holic. He's going to spoil you rotten,” Jason said softly, leaning over the stroller to look at Kaden. The infant let out a shrill laugh, bringing a smile to Jason's face. He turned back to Dick who flashed a smirk at him before turning back to the shelves. They came before a section of bibs and Dick gasped.

“Jay, Jay, Jay! We have to get this one for him!” Dick exclaimed, grabbing one off the shelf and showing it to Jason. It was a black bib with white text that read “These fools put my cape on backwards. Jason quirked an eyebrow at in and let out an exasperated sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“No, Dick. Kaden does not need anymore bibs. He has a million and a half at home already,” Jason countered. Dick looked at the bib, then at Jason and gave him the puppy eyes. “Oh god, no,” Jason muttered to himself.

“Jay, c'mon. Just one more? Please?” Dick asked, playing the old sad puppy routine on Jason. It worked every time. Jason groaned at the sight of Dick's puppy eyes, and rolled his eyes, face palming.

“Fiiiiine. But this is the last bib. The. Very. Last,” Jason said sternly, frown and all as he pointed at his boyfriend for added effect. Dick chuckled in amusement and pressed a kiss to Jason's jaw, dropping the bib into the cart along with the various Justice League baby shirts. “You know, you're lucky I love your geeky ass,” Jason said casually. Dick snorted and waved his hand dismissively. 

“You'd be lost without me,” Dick replied with a snicker as the two of them went on with their shopping. “And don't forget, Bruce, Tim and Alfred want to throw Kaden a welcoming party at the manor later. We don't want to be late, do we?” He called back over his shoulder. Jason rolled his eyes again.

“Yeah, yeah.”

._._._._.

Dick, Jason and Kaden pulled up to the manor in Dick's car, a blue 1969 Chevrolet Camero. Jason hopped out of the passenger's seat and carefully pulled the sleeping infant from his car seat; it was to no avail because the boy woke up and started to fuss.

“No, no, don't cry! Ssh, ssh, ssh,” Jason whispered bouncing the little boy in his arms a bit. Dick rounded the car and chuckled a bit, pressing a kiss to Kaden's head.

“He's just tired. C'mon, let's get inside,” Dick said cheerily, enlacing his fingers with Jason's and tugging him toward the front door. Dick rang the doorbell and Alfred answered moments later. Kaden gave a shrill giggle at the appearance of the butler. Alfred flashed the infant a smile and patted his head.

“Master Dick, Master Jason. You're late,” Alfred said evenly, arching an elegant brow.

“Sorry Alf, but we're here right? It's only five minutes,” Dick replied, flashing a smile. Alfred gestured for them to come inside, closing the door behind them.

“In the main living room if you would,” Alfred called from behind them, following the two of them as they made their way through the mansion. Dick and Jason came to the living room and were a bit surprised to see more than just Bruce, Tim and Damian. Alfred passed by them, flashing them a smile and joined the others. Kon, Clark, Oliver, Dinah, Roy, Hal, Diana, Barry and Iris, Zatanna, and Barbara were all there as well.

“Well, this is a surprise,” Jason said with a smirk, setting Kaden down on the floor. Ace came bounding toward the baby, tail wagging wildly as he laid down in front of the giggling infant, passively letting Kaden play with his ears. Jason and Dick looked down at the two of them and chuckled in amusement before joining the others, sitting on the couch in a space seemingly reserved for them.

“Yeah, we may have invited a few friends” Tim said with a smile, snickering in amusement.

“You didn't think we'd miss this, didja Jaybird?” Roy asked with a grin.

“Well, I'm glad you guys are here,” Dick said cheerily. Zatanna spoke in Latin and a bunch of gift bags floated across the room and landed on the coffee table.

“We all picked up a few things for him. Oh I so love shopping for a baby!” Zatanna chortled. Barbara giggled and looked up at her friend.

“I know right?! I hope you guys like what we all got you!” Barbara added in. Dick seemed highly amused by it, and Jason less so. He just amused on the inside.

“Go on! Get to opening!” Oliver urged. Dick and Jason shared and look, and so it began.

Dick was absolutely delighted as they opened and all the gifts; superhero t-shirts, onesies, socks, shoes, and even more bibs. Jason laughed after the twentieth bib after Dick teased him about his comment in the store earlier. Last on the list was Bruce; Clark had gotten Kaden a superman onesie with a cape, a superman bib, and superman socks.

“Here, I hope you like it,” Bruce said smoothly, glancing over at Clark as he handed a few bags to Dick and Jason. The two of them exchanged looks, curious now. Dick opened the bags and gasped at what was inside.

“What is it?” Jason asked, trying to get a peak. Dick laughed joyously as he revealed a Batman onsie, also with a cape and a little cowl. Next was a Robin onesie with little green socks, then a Red Robin Onesie, and a Nightwing onesie.

“Oh wow, these are adorable, aren't they Jay?!” Dick asked ecstatically, showing them off to Jason. Jason chuckled in amusement at Dick's utter nerdiness over all the superhero attired. “Oh look, there's another one,” Dick said, catching Jason's attention. He pulled one last onesie out of the bag, and what a surprise it was.

It was a black onesie with a red bat symbol on the chest, equipped with a little red hood, and a little brown jacket stitched to it. Dick looked over at Jason and grinned widely; Jason was speechless.

“Is that a Red Hood oneise? Do they even make those?” Jason asked, quirking an eyebrow. In all honesty, he was kind of overjoyed to be included. Bruce smirked slightly as he sipped his tea.

“Yes. They don't make them, but I asked Alfred to make one for Kaden. I wanted to make sure he had one for all of you,” Bruce said smoothly. Jason smiled a genuine smile as he took the onesie and held it up, looking it over.

“Well, the thought I appreciated. We'll keep it, but he won't be wearing it,” Jason said smoothly.

“But Jaybird-”

“Nah, it's fine Dickie. I don't really want Kaden growing up liking the Red Hood,” Jason said evenly. An awkward silence filled the room thereafter. It felt like it stretched on into eternity before Jason finally broke the silence again. He grabbed one of the onesies and held it up.

“Not to sound ungrateful or anything, but didn't anyone buy him something normal? Like trucks, or dinosaurs, or something?” he asked with a laugh. Alfred handed him another bag.

“Not to fear, Master Jason,” Alfred said with a knowing smile. Jason dug through the bag and lo and behold, he pulled out a white onsie with trucks and cars all over it, and a bib with various zoo animals on it.

“Oh thank god. Thank you Alfred, finally something normal,” Jason said with a grin, earning a laugh from the others.


	3. Overprotective?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick decides to teach Kaden to swim while the whole family is gathered at the manor for a barbecue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Prompt:** Combo: Jason is a helicopter father and Swimming Lessons
> 
> Yes, this is a combo prompt, since it seemed to easy to combine the two together. :P Credit to kate1zena for the more hilarious scenes. xD
> 
> Alfred - 79  
> Bruce - 45  
> Dick - 27  
> Jason - 24  
> Tim - 17  
> Damian - 11  
> Kaden - 1

It was a nice, warm sunny day at Wayne Manor, as the entire family got together for a barbecue; Tim and Damian were wrestling in the grass, and Jason was helping Alfred with the cooking. Jason was terrible in the kitchen, but give him a grill and he did amazing work. The grill itself was more like a pavilion, and looked extremely expensive, but Bruce spared no expense when it came to their little family events. Frankly, and no one (with the exception of Alfred) would say it out loud, Bruce was going soft in his old age. 

It had its own bar with seating for eight people, a grill, a deep fryer, stainless steel sink, food warmer, a mini fridge, LED lighting and even an iPod station with speakers that they were using to play music. Jason was busy cooking steaks, burgers and hot dogs on the grill while Alfred prepared everything else and stocked the mini fridge.

“Master Jason, why don't you go enjoy yourself and allow me to take over?” Alfred suggested. Jason glanced back at the old man and flashed a smile, moving out of the old man's way; one simply did not argue with Alfred. Dressed in a white tank top and red swimming trunks, Jason opted to lounge a bit in the sun, throwing off his tank top and making himself comfortable in a lawn chair. He heard Kaden giggle and Dick laughing coming from the manor, but didn't really bother to look. He heaved a contented sigh and folded his hands behind his head. That was until Damian and Tim's wrestling brought them his way and knocked him out of his lawn chair. 

Jason fell to the ground with a thud, the air rushing from his lungs. He eyes flew open and landed upon the two perpetrators.

“Hey!” He shouted at them, getting to his feet. The two of them stopped for a moment to look in his direction before returning to their little skirmish. Jason grinned then and joined the fray, grabbing each of them back the backs of their shirts.

“Alright you little shits, time for a little payback! You're both going for a dip!” Jason said with a wicked grin.

“You wouldn't dare, Todd!” Damian fired back.

“Jason-” Tim tried, but Jason shushed the both of them and started dragging them toward the pool.

“Fight all you want, this is happening,” he said with a laugh. Which quickly faded when he actually saw the pool. Dick was in the pool and had his hands out to Kaden who was standing on the edge of it. He gasped a little and dropped the both of them, running for the pool.

“DICK, GET MY BABY AWAY FROM THAT POOL,” he shouted. Everyone dropped what they were doing when Jason shouted, all eyes falling on him, Dick and Kaden. Dick looked up at Jason in shock as the man grabbed Kaden up into his arms and hauled him away from the edge of the pool.

“Jason, relax. I'm right here with him,” Dick said calmly, leaning against the edge of the pool.

“He could've drowned, Dick!” Jason snapped back. Dick glared at him a bit offended as he pulled himself out of the pool.

“I can swim y'know, Jas-”

“Yeah, well Kaden can't!” Jason interrupted. The others descended onto the scene as Dick and Jason's squabbling descended into fighting. Kaden started to cry, upset at the two of them fighting and that was when Alfred intervened, rescuing baby Kaden from the fighting pair. Jason turned to say something, but Alfred gave him one of his famous, well placed glares to silence him.

“You two are scheduled for couple's counseling tomorrow with Dinah. You've been fighting a lot, and I won't hear excuses,” Bruce put in, eyes darting back and forth between the two of them.

“What?!” They both asked incredulously, as Tim and Damian snickered on the sidelines.

“It was my idea,” Alfred pipped up, rocking the baby as he started to calm down. “I instructed Master Bruce to set it up. Frankly, you both need a little therapy.” Alfred said with finality, making his way into the manor. Once he was gone, Tim and Damian busted out into a fit of laughter.

“Okay, that's it, you're both dead,” Jason growled, chasing after the two of them.

._._._._.

Dick and Jason sat on a love seat in one of the sitting rooms of the manor with Dinah across from them. They'd been silent for the whole ten minutes so far, not talking to each other, or Dinah, but she was a patient woman, however. Finally, she opted to engage them.

“So Dick, Jason. Alfred and Bruce tell me you had an...incident the other day,” Dinah said carefully. Jason sat up, shooting a glare over at Dick, then looked to Dinah.

“Yes. Dick tried to drown my baby,” Jason said. Dick glared at him and shook his head.

“Lay off. I wasn't trying to drown him, I was trying to teach him to swim!” Dick retorted. Jason snorted, preparing a reply of his own, but Dinah interrupted him.

“Why did Dick having Kaden near the pool make you feel uncomfortable, Jason?” she asked. Jason gave her an incredulously look at the question.

“Why do you think? It's nine fucking feet deep!” Jason replied.

“I had it under control Jason! I was right there, he would have been perfectly safe!” Dick responded. Jason snorted and shook his head.

“You don't know that! Accidents happen!” Jason replied.

“You're overprotective, Jason!” Dick responded, getting to his feet.

“I am not!” Jason shot back.

“Jason, you hover over Kaden _all_ the time, you've baby proofed every corner in the apartment, and you even hover when _I'm_ watching him!” And so the two of them started bickering again. Dinah heaved a sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose. She was a patient woman, but even she had her limits.

“Jason wore water wings when he was fourteen!” Dick blurted out. The entire room fell silent, a horrified expression spreading across Jason's face. Even Dick seemed a little surprised by the admission. Suddenly, Jason scowled darkly.

“You swore you'd never tell anyone!” Jason snapped. “It's not like I had a lot of opportunities to learn how to swim when I was growing up on the streets, _Dick._ ”

“Did you just-” Dick began, scowling at the emphasis on his name.

“Yeah, I did-”

“Hold on, Jason,” Dinah said firmly, interrupting them before another argument could break out “tell me a little bit about that.” Jason's face burned red as he recalled the event, his first time learning to swim. He knew what Dinah was asking though.

“I...almost drowned as Robin once. Because I was ashamed to tell anyone I didn't know how to swim,” Jason began, huffing as he ran a hand through his hair and continued. “Dick got wind of it and came by the manor to help teach me to swim. With water wings.” Jason shot a glare over at Dick, who gave an innocent shrug.

“I wasn't trying to embarrass you Jason,” Dick said In a soft voice. “I was just trying to help.”

“I think I see the issue here. Jason, Dick is right, you're overprotective, but I think it has a lot to do with how you were raised,” Dinah suggested. She smiled and nodded toward Dick. “Try trusting Dick a little bit more. He loves you and he's trying to help you. Let him.”

“Jaybird, do you really think I'd ever let anything happen to Kaden?” Dick asked, patting his shoulder soothingly. Jason heaved a sigh and shook his head.

“No. No of course not.”

._._._._.

A few weeks later, when the day was warm and sunny, the entire Wayne family attempted to have that barbecue once more, since the last one turned out...well, badly. Tim and Damien were playing football and Bruce was helping Alfred with the grill. As for Jason and Dick, they were both in the pool in their swim shorts, holding their hands out for baby Kaden as the little boy sat at the edge of the pool.

“C'mon Kaden!” Dick called to him.

“C'mon buddy, you can do it!” Jason added in. Kaden let out a shrill giggle and pushed himself into the pool. Jason flinched noticeably when Kaden fell into the pool, his heart hammering in his chest, but his fear was for naught, as the little boy bobbed back up the surface moments later, giggling happily.

“That's it! Swim to daddy!” Jason called. Dick smiled warmly as the boy attempted to swim to his father, guilding him with a hand on his stomach from underneath. Kaden reached out for his dad and let out a shrill giggle as Jason hugged him.

“That's my boy!” Jason said proudly. Dick smiled and pressed a kiss to Jason's temple.

“See? Nothing to worry about.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And as far as I can recall, I should be all caught up with my prompts. Feel free to prompt me again, and enjoy! ^^


	4. Naughty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Prompt:** Dick and Jason grapple with the Terrible Twos

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ho hum, it's been a while since I've posted anything here. Of course, I've been caught up in my new series, which I'm having immense fun with. Though I may take another day off from "Arkham City" to write a little bit off fluff like this. It's getting a bit dark, so I need this okay?! xD
> 
> Also maybe try and complete some other prompts I've been meaning to do. Anywho, enjoy this cavity-inducing fluff! :3
> 
> Dick - 27  
> Jason - 24  
> Kaden - 2

The morning was off to a running start. Kaden had slept in his parents’ bed with them last night for the third night in the row; they were trying to get Kaden to stay in his _own_ bed, but he was climbing out of his crib and making his way into their room. And now, the toddler was the first one awake, and doing what all toddlers do; getting up to no good.

Dick gave a yawn as his eyes slowly opened; the shades were closed and the room was dimly lit by what little sunlight filtered through the blinds. Dick smiled at Jason’s still sleeping face and was tempted to go back to sleep himself. He would have too, if not for two things; one, Kaden was gone and two, he heard a scratching noise on the other side of the room. Alerted to both, Dick bolted up in bed, rousing Jason awake by accident, and scanned the room for Kaden.

“Kaden, no!” Dick called, jumping out of bed and racing across the room. By now, Jason was wide awake, sitting up in bed and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He looked and saw Dick, garbed only in a pair of blue boxers, wrestling crayons away from Kaden. The toddler was scribbling all over the nice, clean, white walls.

“Ugh, good morning, I guess,” Jason groaned, scrubbing his face with his hands. He swung his legs out of bed, glancing over at Dick tiredly as he scolded Kaden and put the crayons away. Kaden have a little pout and crossed his tiny arms over his chest. Dick raked a hand through his hair, then grabbed a pair of jeans and pulled them on.

“Yeah, the morning is off to a great start, huh Jaybird?” Dick asked with a tired smile. He crawled across the bed toward Jason, wrapping his arms around the man’s neck and kissing his jaw. Jason merely grunted in response before finally pulling himself out of bed and began dressing for the day.

Dick pulled on a white tank top and watched as Jason picked Kaden up into his arms.

“C’mon, up we go kiddo. Time for breakfast,” Jason said to him, kissing the little boy’s forehead. Kaden giggled and wrapped his little arms around Jason’s neck.

“Dada!” he chimed, earning a little chuckle of amusement from his father. Of course, their day was only just beginning. When they stepped out into the living room, they found an entire roll of toilet paper scattered all over the floor.

“Oh my god,” Jason breathed, placing Kaden down on the floor and raking his hands through his hair. Kaden giggled and tugged his father’s pant leg. When he had Jason’s attention, he grabbed up a piece of toilet paper and ran around then in the living room with it flying behind him.

“I fly! Superman!” Kaden chortled. Jason groaned and scrubbed his face with his hands. Dick held back a laugh, but a snicker escaped, getting him a glare from Jason. Jason turned back to Kaden and grabbed the toilet paper from him. He knelt down and looked him in the eye with a frown on his face.

“No, Kaden! That’s naughty!” He said firmly. Kaden gave a pout and let himself fall onto the floor. Jason sighed and began cleaning up the toilet paper.

“I’ll get breakfast started,” Dick said with a smile, patting Jason’s shoulder as he passed. Jason growled to himself as he finished picking up the last of the toilet paper, padding into the kitchen and throwing it in the trash. His mistake was leaving Kaden alone in the living room by himself, if even only for a few seconds.

“Hey Champ, let’s get some breakfast,” Jason called, padding into the living room. There, he found Kaden playing with the DVDs, opening the cases and tossing the discs around. “No, no, no! Kaden, stop that!” Jason growled in frustration, picking Kaden up and setting him down in his playpen. Jason heaved an exasperated sigh and started picking up the discs and putting them away.

When he turned back toward the playpen, the little boy had climbed out. 

“Dick, help me, for the love of god,” Jason said with a bit of a whine. He let himself fall back onto the floor and scrubbed his face with his hands. When he opened his eyes again, Kaden was standing over him with a puzzled look.

“Dada?”

“You’re going to be the death of me, little boy,” Jason mused. Kaden giggled a bit and sat on his father’s chest, bouncing a little. Jason grunted at the weight and heaved a sigh; it was hard to stay mad at the kid.

“Alright, first pancake is up!” Dick called cheerily, padding into the living room. He snickered a bit at the sight of Jason just laying on the floor as Kaden bounced on him lightly. He grinned at his boyfriend and arched an eyebrow at him. “Wow, he takes on an entire gang of venom users by night, but is defeated by a toddler by day. I think you’re getting old, Jaybird,” Dick teased, kneeling down and leaning over the man. Jason opened his eyes and glared at Dick from his place on the floor.

“Haha. Very funny.”

Dick snickered at him and placed a kiss to his forehead. He picked up Kaden who had his little arms outstretched and then made his way back into the kitchen. Jason heaved a sigh, pushing himself up off the floor and following suit. He flopped down into a chair at the kitchen table while Dick strapped Kaden into his high chair. Dick moved back across the kitchen then with a small pancake with syrup and a sippy cup full of juice. He returned a second time with coffee for Jason.

“Thanks babe,” Jason said, swatting Dick’s ass as he turned to move back toward the stove. Dick yelped in surprise, glancing over his shoulder as Jason grinned at him and sipped his coffee.

“Right in front of Kaden, Jay?” Dick asked with a slight smirk. Jason snorted.

“He’s two. He has no clue,” Jason replied. And that was when Jason made his next mistake; he took his eye off of Kaden for a minute to skim the newspaper for any mention of the drug bust he made last night as Red Hood. Before he found what he was looking for, he heard a dripping sound, followed immediately by liquid swishing around. He looked up at Kaden and found the little boy tipping his cup upside down and shaking it.

“Kaden, no!” Jason blurted out, causing Dick to turn away from his work to see what the commotion was about. Jason jumped out of his chair, but he was a second too slow. The cap came loose and orange juice spilled all over Kaden’s tray and the floor. “Ugh, come on kid, give daddy a break,” Jason said with a groan, scrubbing his face with his hands while Kaden giggled. Jason glared at the little boy and snatched the cup away from him. “No! We do not throw drinks around! That’s bad, Kaden!” Jason scolded. To his (mild) surprise, Kaden crossed his little arms and scowled at him.

“Hmph,” the little boy pouted. Jason snorted and moved across the kitchen to toss the cup in the sink and grab the paper towel.

“Hey, don’t give me that look you little brat, “ Jason replied, to which Kaden’s response was to blow a raspberry at him. Jason growled in response but opted to ignore it while he cleaned up the juice on the floor and Kaden’s tray.

“They’re called the terrible twos for a reason, Jay,” Dick called from across the kitchen. Jason snorted.

“I’d give my right arm for them to be over,” Jason replied, tossing the paper towel in the trash.

“Wouldn’t we all.”

*_*_*_*_*

Jason and Dick brought Kaden to the manor to visit with Bruce, Tim and Alfred. Breakfast turned out to be a bit of a chore, with Kaden flicking bits of pancake around on the tip of his fork. Then he fought with Dick about getting dressed, followed by a temper tantrum when Jason took a chocolate bar, that he’d literally climbed into the refrigerator for, away from him.

Everyone was currently gathered in the main living room with Bruce in one armchair, sipping his tea, and Damian in the other across from him, reading a book. Dick and Jason were sitting on the couch beside one another and Tim was on the floor, with Kaden and Ace, the three of them happily playing together. Alfred came in with more tea for Dick and Jason.

“Here you are, Master Dick. Earl Gray Tea. And for you, Master Jason, Peppermint tea,” Alfred said smoothly. Dick and Jason took their tea and gave it a sip, giving an ‘mmm’ sound of approval.

“Mm, it’s the best, as always Alf! Thanks!” Dick said cheerily. Jason gave a nod as he took another sip of his.

“No kidding. You’re tea always kicks as--” Jason began, pausing at a glare from both Dick and Alfred “--er, butt.” He corrected, earning an approving nod from Dick. Alfred retreated to the kitchen then, only returning at Dick’s urging.

“Hey Alfred, c’mon, join us! Take a little break, huh?” Dick suggested. Alfred gave a slight smile, then acquiesced, sitting beside Jason with a cup of black tea.

“So how’s my angelic little nephew been today?” Tim asked, glancing up at Dick and Jason with a goofy grin. Dick chuckled in response, while Jason gave a derisive snort.

“Angelic is not the word I’d use. The kid has been a little hell raiser all morning,” Jason replied, sipping his tea again. Tim made a mock offended noice.

“No! Not my little buddy!” Tim replied sarcastically, grinning at the two of them. Jason snorted again.

“Yeah, him.”

“Hardly surprising, but I’d say you got off easy, Master Jason,” Alfred replied. All eyes fell on Alfred then, who glanced over at Bruce.

“Master Bruce was a little tyrant at the age of two, bless his parents’ souls,” Alfred said evenly. Bruce gave a snort, trying to hide a smirk behind his tea cup. Dick laughed in amusement and even Jason gave the man a grin.

“Well, that certainly explains a lot,” Dick replied, earning a laugh from Tim.

*_*_*_*_*

It was getting dark when the three of them arrived back at their apartment, just in time for Kaden’s bed time. They made their way through the door, and marched little Kaden into the bathroom for his bath, then into his superman pajamas, and then to brush his teeth. From there, they put him in his crib for the night.

“I think it’s time we get him a toddler bed,” Jason said smoothly, padding out of the bedroom to meet Dick in the living room. Dick flashed a smile.

“Yeah, the little guy is growing fast,” Dick said smoothly, flopping down onto the couch. Jason heaved a sigh and flopped down beside him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

“So, patrol tonight, or should we take a night off, kick back, and watch some Netflix?” Jason asked with a smile. Dick just smiled at him, cuddling up against Jason’s side, nestling himself comfortable underneath his arm. Jason chuckled in amusement and turned on the TV and Netflix.

“Netflix it is,” he replied. And so they stayed up watching a few movies until midnight rolled around. They decided then to turn in for the night, dressing down for bed and turning out the lights.

“Night Dickie,” Jason said, settling underneath the covers.

“Night Jaybird,” Dick replied, the two of them sharing a quick kiss before turning the lights off. Neither of them got to sleep within the next ten minutes before a familiar sound caught their attention. They heard the sound of little steps and the crinkle of a diaper as little Kaden waddled into their bedroom. Jason groaned, but Dick waved him off.

“It’s okay, I’ve got this one,” he said tiredly, sighing and pulling himself out of bed. He picked Kaden up and put the little boy back in his own bed. Dick returned and settled back into bed, Jason pulling him closer to him. Dick smiled and nestled into the other man’s warmth…

But a couple of hours later, at two in the morning, little Kaden waddled into their bedroom again. Jason noticed him first when he tried to climb up the bed by grabbing at the blankets and trying to pull himself up. Jason groaned, so very tempted to ignore him.

“Ungh, Jason? Is that Kaden again?” Dick asked tiredly through half closed eyes. Jason nodded. The two of them heard Kaden huff in annoyance when the little boy fell back onto the floor.

“Jay, just pick him up and put him in the bed,” Dick murmured tiredly. Jason groaned again.

“No Dickie, he needs to learn to stay in his own bed,” Jason replied, equally tired. They felt the tug of the blankets again as Kaden tried to climb up the bed again. When he fell for the second time, he began to fuss from his place on the floor.

“Papa,” Kaden whined as little tears formed in his eyes. Jason opened his eyes immediately and glared at Dick, who was looking back at him.

“Don’t you dare,” Jason said softly, but sternly.

“Papa,” Kaden whined. Not a minute later, and Kaden was settled on the bed between them, cuddling with Dick. Jason heaved an exasperated sigh; that little boy had his boyfriend wrapped around his little finger. But then again…it was really hard to stay mad at the little boy. Jason took a deep breath, then rolled over on his side, patting Kaden’s raven black hair lightly and kissing his little head good night.


	5. Baby's First Halloween

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick buys Halloween costumes for himself, Jason and Kaden, but he absolutely refuses to spoil the surprise.
> 
> Dick - 27  
> Jason - 25  
> Kaden - 2

Dick told Jason specifically _not_ to buy any Halloween costumes, not for himself, him, or little Kaden, because he had that covered. Jason was naturally curious, but when he asked, Dick refused to tell him.

“C’mon, not even a little hint?” Jason asked, following Dick out of the kitchen as the man retreated to the living room with a soda. They’d both sworn off beer while the baby was in the house. The man flopped down on the couch with a sigh and a cocky grin and Jason sat down beside him.

“Nope, not even a hint,” he replied. Jason huffed in annoyance and sat back on the couch and Dick just giggled at him, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

“Don’t worry, you’ll find out soon enough,” he replied with a mischievous smirk. Jason quirked an eyebrow at him.

“That look on your face has me very worried, Dick,” Jason replied. Dick pushed himself up off the couch and cackled as he left the room. _Very worried_. He looked down to Kaden who was sitting on the floor playing with his ABC blocks. The boy giggled happily when he knocked them over and then looked up at his father with one of those adorable little scowls. Jason scowled back and the baby giggled, drawing a laugh out of Jason.

“I don’t suppose Dickie-bird told you what our costumes are?” Jason asked, quirking an eyebrow. Kaden just stared up at him in silence for a few moments a block in his tiny little hand. He let out a shrill giggle and called ‘dada!’ Jason chuckled in amusement and moved down to the floor to play with the blocks with Kaden, much to the boy’s delight.

“Didn’t think so. Guess I’ll just have to wait and see.”

* * * * *

Halloween came a week later and a six PM, Dick had gotten everyone into their costumes and into the car to stop by the manor first to show Bruce their costumes and take some pictures for him. They needed pictures to commemorate Kaden’s first Halloween.

Of course, convincing Jason to put his costume on took a lot of extra work. He was completely against it at first, so it took Dick a half an hour of prodding and bribing to get him to put it on. But it would be worth it, especially when Bruce laid eyes on the three of them.

“I mean it, Dick! You owe me _huge_ for this! Rough sex, on the couch-”

“Not in front of the baby!” Dick said with a hint of tease, slapping Jason’s arm playfully. They both glanced back at Kaden who looked at them with a clueless grin on his face, letting out a little giggle.

“I hate you,” Jason said sourly, but with a hint of amusement in it. Dick snickered and caressed Jason’s cheek with his knuckles.

“No you don’t, you love me,” Dick replied. Jason smirked at the comment as they came to a stop in front of the manor and leaned in for a kiss.

“You got me, once again.” Dick smiled at him and kissed him back. They parted and hopped out of the car, grabbing Kaden from his car seat and made for the front door. Dick gave the door bell a ring and minutes later, Alfred was there to answer the door.

“How may I...as, Master Dick, Master Jason,” Alfred said casually, eyeing them both carefully. Kaden giggled happily, standing between the two of them, holding their hands.

“Master Bruce is in his study.”

“Thank you Alf,” Jason replied. He looked back over his shoulder and shot back “and not a word of this to _anyone_!” Alfred chuckled in amusement.

“Of course sir.” 

Jason and Dick stood in front of Bruce’s study, Dick lifting Kaden up to the door. The little boy knocked a couple of times, Bruce obviously not having heard it, so Dick knocked and they received a ‘come in.” So the door swung open and in the strolled. Bruce looked up and did a double-take, eyes widening at their costumes.

Dick was dressed up as Superman and Jason was garbed in a Batman costume. And little Kaden was wearing a Robin costume. Jason looked rather sour, but Dick had a shit-eating grin on his face and Kaden giggled happily as he looked up at his grandfather. Bruce quirked an eyebrow and opened his mouth to speak, then shut it again.

“Not a word,” Jason said flatly. Bruce just grinned at him and Jason rolled his eyes.

“Happy Halloween boys,” Bruce said.

“I hate you all,” Jason said.


	6. Will You Be Mine?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason decides to do something different for Valentine's Day this year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Super Fluffy, may cause cavities. Proceed at your own risk!
> 
> It's a day early because of the storm going on now. Still, enjoy ^^
> 
> Dick: 28  
> Jason: 25  
> Kaden: 3

Valentine's Day was swiftly approaching and Jason didn't have anything for Dick this year. With his work as the Red Hood, he'd been so busy, he'd nearly forgotten and now Valentine's Day was tomorrow. Jason didn't see the big deal, if he were honest; it was a minor holiday in his opinion, but it was important to Dick for some reason. He was always doing something special for him, or getting him something really nice.

Part of Jason's problem this year, however, was he wasn't sure what he wanted to do for the man this year. He felt like every year was the same; a nice dinner, some gifts, maybe a little under-the-covers action, and that was Valentine's Day. This year, he wanted to do something a little different though, but the question was, _what?_

Jason knew Dick really well, but the man could be impossible to shop for. What did you get the man who was content with what he had? Who had everything he wanted already? Well, to that end, Jason decided to seek a little advice this year. He took a zeta tube to Star City and dropped by Roy's apartment; surely Roy could offer some advice.

“Jaybird, hey! C'mon in!” Roy said cheerily, inviting Jason into his apartment. Jason strode into the apartment, giving it a quick look and pulling a disgusted face; Roy was every bit the slob that Dick was and Roy seemed to notice the disapproving look.

“Don't worry, I'll clean it!” Roy said with a chuckle as Jason sat down on the couch.  
“When? Next century?” he asked, earning a laugh from Roy who padded into the kitchen. He returned with a couple of root beers, handing one to Jason and sitting down beside him.

“Root beer?” Jason asked amusedly, glancing over at Roy. Roy gave a smirk and a shrug, opening his soda and taking a sip.

“I promised baby girl I'd drink less,” Roy answered. Jason chuckled in amusement, sipping his root beer. He closed it back up and set it on the table, shifting on the couch to face his auburn haired friend.

“Okay, so Valentine's Day is coming up soon,” Jason started.

“Tomorrow actually,” Roy replied. Jason shot him a glare and he raised his hands defensively, allowing the other man to continue.

“Anyway, I want to do something different this year. Something special for Dick,” Jason went on. Roy turned a bit, sipping his drink again and patting Jason's shoulder.

“Great! What'd you have in mind?” Roy asked. Jason frowned, blushing a little.

“I uh...don't know. I thought maybe you could give me some advice,” Jason admitted. Roy grinned a bit and shifted a little more on the couch so as to face Jason.

“Well, then you've come to the right place! But I'm not just gonna tell ya what to do, 'coz that'd ruin it! It has to be something you come up with by yourself,” Roy answered. Jason gave a nod and waited patiently. Roy was silent for a moment, giving it some thought.

“Okay, so Dick loves romance. So maybe you do something romantic? Not a fancy dinner or anything, but maybe something public, something very affectionate that shows him how much you love him, right?” Roy suggested. Jason frowned at the idea, but did give it some though.

“Oh, I've got an idea....” Roy began, trailing off as something began to form in his mind. His lips slowly stretched into a smile as the idea started to take shape. Jason flinched at that grin and scooted a way a bit. "I don't like that look on your face. What's this idea? Am I going to like this?" Jason asked. "Probably not, but it's perfect! Anyway, I've got just the thing! So you know, Dick loves PDA, right?...”

"Yeah," Jason said, eyeing Roy a little warily.

"Okay then, so here's what I'm thinking."

._._._._.

Dick heaved a sigh as he came back to the station from another hard day out in the field. He sat down at his desk and began the day's paperwork, looking forward to getting off of work; today was Valentine's Day and he couldn't wait to spend the rest of it with Jason. Little Kaden was away at the manor, so they'd have the apartment all to themselves tonight.

Dick started on his paperwork and happened to glance up; he spotted Jason coming toward him a bit nervously. Confused and surprised, Dick stood up to greet the man.

“Jason, what're you doing here?” Dick asked. Jason flashed the man a smile as he stopped before him, the knelt down on one knee and presented Dick with a bouquet of fuchsias; his mother's favorite flowers. Jason's face was painted with a pink glow. He couldn't believe he'd let Roy talk him into this, but here he was. The entire station went silent, all eyes on them and Dick's face flushed a light pink.

“Dick,” Jason began, a blush spreading across his face. He hesitated for a moment, his and Dick's eyes meeting. _It's now or never, Jason,_ Jason thought to himself. He cleared his throat and decided to just go for it; it was embarrassing, but Dick was worth it.

“Your eyes are pools, bluer than any ocean, so deep I fear I could get lost, drifting endlessly in your gaze,” Jason began, a smile creeping across his face as Dick started to glow pink. The man looked around the station, noting that everyone was watching, grins on every face. 

“Your smile chases away the clouds, shining brighter than the sun and bringing life to an otherwise dreary world,” Jason continued, his eyes still locked with Dick's. 

“You bring light to my darkness and make me feel whole. Being with you makes me believe that true happiness is _real_. When I'm with you, my world feels a little brighter.” Jason got to his feet and held the flowers out toward Dick. 

“I stand before you, a man lucky enough to bask in your warmth and I ask you,” Jason hesitated for a moment, staring deeply into Dick's eyes and ignoring the gazes of all those around them “Dick Grayson, will you be mine? Will you light my world?”

The room was eerily silent as Dick looked between Jason, the flowers, and everyone else in the building. He was shocked, because this was so unlike Jason! It took him a few moments to gather his thoughts, to realize that this was indeed real. And then he smiled from ear to ear and took the flowers, setting them aside on his desk and pressing his lips to Jason's in a searing kiss. He wrapped his arms around the man's waist and tugged him close, the kiss lasting for moments, but feeling like eternity. When they parted, Jason blushed a bit.

“Is that a yes?” he asked.

“Yes, Jason Peter Todd. I'll be your valentine,” he replied, and the whole room erupted into cheers and applause as Jason tugged the man closer for another kiss.


	7. Breakdown in Communication

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick and Jason have a argument that runs deeper than the initial disagreement and things get ugly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Prompt by kate1zena:** "Where the fuck is all of my ammo, Dick? Why are they all rubber?!"
> 
> It was decided that things were too peachy in paradise; Dick and Jason needed an argument here of there and thus this prompt was born. :D I won't lie, this one was kind of hard to write. I winged a bit of it. x_x I hope you enjoy. ^^

“DICK!” Jason shouted from their bedroom. Dick padded toward their shared bedroom from Kaden's room, having just gotten the boy down for his afternoon nap; the kid slept like a stone once you got him down and not even a hurricane could wake him. That was one of the few blessings of raising a toddler.

Dick rubbed the back of his neck as he poked his head inside the bedroom door. Jason was standing in front of the closet near the lock box that held his handguns and ammo; they'd argued about keeping those in the apartment when they moved in together, but Jason _insisted_ it would be better to have them here in case of an emergency, such as someone breaking in. Dick had a hard time buying that since they could both easily defend themselves _without_ weapons, but Jason's argument was quite persuasive: Kaden. The boy would turn three in a few months.

“What's up Jaybird?” Dick asked curiously, leaning against the door frame. Jason spun on the spot and shot Dick a glare, holding handfuls of rubber bullets in the cup of his hands.

“What the fuck is this?!” Jason growled. Dick glanced down at the bullets in Jason's hands, then up art his boyfriend and quirked an eyebrow, looking at him as if he had three heads.

“Those are rubber bullets, Jason,” Dick replied in amusement, a smirk tugging at his lips. Jason scowled and tossed the rubber bullets back into the lock box, slamming the door shut and locking it again.

“Where the fuck is my ammo?!” Jason shouted. Dick frowned and moved into the bedroom, crossing his arms over his chest. Why was Jason freaking out over this? It wasn't like he needed the ammo, right? He promised to stop killing!

“Well, you said you'd never use live ammo again, so I tossed it out.” Dick answered honestly. Jason's scowl deepened as he raked his hands through his hair and turned on the spot, taking a deep breath and mentally counting backward from ten.

“You tossed it out? Tossed. It. Out?!” Jason growled. He moved toward Dick and glared at the man, jabbing him in the chest with his finger. Dick dug his heels in and glared back. “What if Kaden gets kidnapped again, huh?! Did you ever think of that, when you threw out all my ammo?!” 

“Then you can use rubber bullets!” Dick shot back, brow furrowing in frustration. Jason opened his mouth to speak several times, looking like a fish out of water. He clench his fists and his jaw worked as he scrubbed as his scalp, moving away from Dick and across the room.

“RUBBER?!” he shouted when he finally turned around again, staring at Dick incredulously.

“Yes, Jason! Rubber!” Dick retorted, moving slowly toward his boyfriend. But Jason wasn't having it; he shoved past Dick and out of the bedroom and into the living room. Dick frowned again and followed after him. “Jason, rubber bullets are just as effective, without the lethality!” Dick called after him. Jason spun on the spot and shot another glare, arm slashing through the air angrily.

“No, Dick! Rubber bullets are NOT as effective as live ammo!” Jason ground out.  
“What about me, Jason? Are you saying you can't stop killing for me?” Dick asked softly, his expression softening to match as he moved closer to his boyfriend.

“Dick-”

“And what about Kaden?”

“Dick, that is NOT fair! You can't use my son against me like that!” Jason hissed, but Dick stood his ground and reached out to gently pat Jason's arm.

“Jason, you're a father now. You have to stop and think about what's best for Kaden...if not me,” Dick said softly, and Jason couldn't help but catch the slight sadness in Dick's last words. If he weren't so angry, he might've reacted differently, but instead he snorted and pulled away from the man.

“I can't fucking believe you,” Jason snapped, and Dick's expression soured again as he followed Jason across the room. Jason turned to him and said “I don't know what I'm more pissed about; the fact that you _threw out my ammo_ , or the fact that you didn't even _consult me_ about it!” Dick felt a twinge of guilt at Jason's words because he was right about that.

“Well Jason, when we decided to move in together, we also decided to make some changes for each other-”

“Woah, woah, woah. Stop right there,” Jason growled, pointing toward the couch which had a few shirts, a pair of pants and a sock scattered across it.

“What changes have you made for me?! I dialed back the violence, but you-” Jason snapped. “You're still a fucking slob! You know, I've been biting my tongue, but every day, I have to clean up after _your_ ass! I mean, for god's sake, you left your-” Jason paused, glancing down toward Kaden's room “-costume on the fucking bedroom floor!”

“I was tired, Jason, and besides, Kaden was fast asleep!”

“Not the point! I'm tired of you making decisions without me!” Jason shouted angrily. He threw his hands up in defeat and stormed into the bedroom, coming out moments later with his jacket on. He moved to the door and kicked on his boots, grabbing his keys off the wall.

“Where are you going?!” Dick called, following after him.

“Out. Away. I can't fucking deal with this right now,” Jason growled. It was for the best; he was still working on his anger, which he still had a lot of, and he needed to get away for a bit before he _really_ said or did something he'd regret later.

“Jason-” Dick called, but Jason was already out the door, slamming it shut behind him. Dick stared at the door for a few seconds, clenching his fists angrily. He let out an growl as he clawed at his scalp and flopped down on the couch, heaving an exasperated sigh; Jason could be so damn _infuriating_ sometimes!

Dick pulled a small black box from his pocket and opened it up, revealing a gold ring inside. He stared at it for several long moments in silence, then closed his eyes and sighed. He got to his feet, looking around the living room; okay, yeah, it was a bit messy. So he got to tidying it up a bit, picking up the scattered clothing and tossing it in the laundry, then cleaning up some of the dishes scattered around the living room and the kitchen. When he got back to the living room he stopped and looked down at his phone which had been sitting on the coffee table underneath a t-shirt with Roy's number highlighted on it. He frowned, then picked it up, dialing the number and sitting back down on the couch. Unfortunately, he got a busy signal. _Jason._ Of course Jason would call Roy though. The two of them were close friends. Jason confided everything in Roy. Dick felt a twinge of jealousy at the thought but it was easily over shadowed by one simple fact; Jason chose _him_. Even if that were not true, he and Roy would always be friends.

Dick put the phone down and heaved another sigh, letting himself fall back onto the couch. He heard the patter of tiny feet from down the hallway. Dick looked up and saw Kaden, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, coming down the hall.

“Papa. Where's daddy?” Kaden murmured, followed by a little yawn. Dick sat up and flashed a smile, holding his arms out for the little boy. 

“C'mere little wing,” Dick called. Kaden moved toward his papa and into his arms, and Dick gingerly picked him up and cradled him in his arms. “Daddy had to go for a little while, but don't worry. He'll be back soon.” He was a father now and he loved Kaden; there was noway he'd be gone long.

_._._._._

Jason heaved a sigh as he shirked off his jacket and hung it up in a nearby closet before moving across the room and throwing himself down onto his bed in one of his safe houses. His safe houses were nothing flashy; a bed, a couch and a coffee table, and a small kitchen and bathroom. He did, however, have a TV, a DvD player, and a bookshelf in this one. He had to have something to pass the time, and this one was more or less for it he needed to lie low for more than a few days at a time. 

His safe houses were also always meticulously neat and tidy everything had its place. His cleaning habits were in stark contrast to Dick's, who was messy and kind of a slob. Where Jason had everything tucked away neatly and in its place, Dick left clothes hanging around, old dishes sitting on tables and counters, unwashed, it was one of the things that really irked him. He hated always having to clean up after his boyfriend.

He was a bet skeptical about moving in with him and sharing an apartment with him at first, but ultimately, he decided he was happy with it. In fact, he'd be infinitely happier if the man would just learn to clean up after himself!

But that was a minor thing compared to today's argument. Dick was always making decisions without consulting him, and that made him _so angry_. On top of picking up after that ass, he never came to him when it came to making decisions like _getting rid of his fucking ammo._ And he was still pissed about that, sure, but he was more pissed that Dick hadn't even talked to him about it. He just did it.

In times like these, he just needed some space and so he was glad he had kept his safe houses operational; it afforded him some time to cool down, and get some space. His anger was still a big issue with him and he didn't want to hurt Dick, so when he got pissed, he took some time to get some space. He was working on his anger, like he promised, for both Dick and his son's sake, but it wasn't easy. He'd always had a problem with his anger.

Jason sat up on the bed and grabbed his smart phone, sifting through it for Roy's number. In times like these, he could always count on Roy to just listen to him and let him blow off steam. Though Roy was often blunt and direct, telling Jason the things he _needed_ to hear as opposed to what he _wanted_ to hear. Even if Jason was angry about something Roy would say, in the long run, he was grateful for Roy's honesty.

“Hey Jaybird, what's up?” Roy asked. When Jason heard Roy's voice, he paused for a few moments, then heaved a weary sigh, scrubbing his face with his hand.

“Nothing. Just...thought I'd say hi,” he lied. Jason never was very good at just saying what was wrong. Roy always had to coax it out of him. Talking about his emotions and opening up? Not one of hie strong suits.

“Jason, you can't lie to me. Tell you what, I'll come over and we can hang out, like the old days, hmm?” Roy replied.

“Sure, sounds great,” Jason replied, the idea bringing a smile to his face. Though the old days weren't really that long ago, it had still been a while since he and Roy got together and just hung out together. So when he heard the call end, he tossed his phone onto the nightstand.

A knock came at his door about half an hour later while he was reading a book on the couch. He pulled himself up and moved to the door, pulling it open to reveal a grinning Roy standing there with a couple of beers, a movie and a couple of chili dogs.

“Dude, I got your fav,” Roy said cheerily, making his way inside and closing the door with his foot. Jason grinned from ear to ear; he hadn't had a chili dog in ages.

“Roy, you're my hero,” Jason said as he clapped his best friend on the back. Roy set the chili dogs and the beers down on the coffee table and Jason got to setting up the movie. When he got it going, he turned and plopped down onto the couch beside Roy, grabbing a bear and a chili dog. He bit into it and made a slightly exaggerated 'mmm' sound.

“Roy, buddy, I fucking love you,” Jason said, taking another bite. Roy chuckled in amusement and popped open his beer, taking a sip and nudging his friend in the side.

“I know,” Roy replied smugly. The two of them sat in silence through the first fifteen or so minutes of the movie, by which time the chili dogs were consumed and the beers half gone. Then Roy turned to Jason and adjusted his position on the couch so he could look at him.

“So, you wanna tell me what's up?” Roy asked. Jason sighed and stared down at his hands for a few moments, thinking about how to start. He decided to just recount the argument, every detail including how he practically exploded on Dick.

“I didn't mean to explode like that, but he doesn't talk to me about anything, before he does it!” Jason said. Roy gave a nod and patted Jason's shoulder.

“Jaybird, talking never was your forte either. You both need to get your heads out of your asses and fuckin' communicate,” Roy said. Jason shot him a glare, but Roy didn't so much as flinch. “You need to apologize to Dick-”

“What?! For what?! He's the one who threw out my ammo! And the ass whose been deciding shit without me!” Jason snapped back, jumping off the couch. Roy, once again, remained unpahsed and remained sitting on the couch. He sipped his beer patiently, then looked back up at Jason.

“You exploded on him, got angry instead of talking shit through. I know you don't wanna hear it, but you're just as guilty,” he pointed out. Jason's jaw worked and he opened his mouth to protest once again but Roy beat him to it. “Besides, this whole shitstorm could've been avoided if you both communicated better. I mean, c'mon. You're not exactly Mister Conversation. And your communications skills? Well, frankly they suck.” Jason shut his mouth immediately and his expression softened a bit as he rubbed the back of his neck. _Well, he's not wrong._

“I'm not saying let him off the hook for his crap, but you gotta straighten your shit out too.” Roy hauled himself up off the couch and patted Jason's shoulder. “Do you love him?” Jason arched an eyebrow and stared at him incredulously.

“Yeah, of course I love him.”

“Then stop being a stubborn, angry jackass and apologize! And talk to him, for Chrissake!” Roy said with a slight laugh, smirk tugging at his lips as he patted the man's shoulder. Jason frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. He hated it when Roy was right; the son of a bitch got all smug and cocky when he knew he was right. But yeah, he probably shouldn't have exploded on Dick like that. And if he'd just pulled his head out of his ass and talked to his boyfriend before all this, it probably could've been avoided.

“What're you all smug about? Just because you're right once in a blue moon-” Jason began, his face splitting into a grin. Roy snorted and waved his hand dismissively, flopping back down on the couch as he interrupted “I'm right _all_ the time!” Jason snorted and sat back down beside him.

_._._._._

Kaden was playing with his blocks in the middle of the living room when a knock came at the door. Dick grunted as he pulled himself up off the floor from push ups to go and answer it. He grabbed a bottle of water off the counter and took a swig of it before he pulled open the door.

“Alfred! Come in!” Dick said with a bright smile, stepping aside and gesturing toward the inside of the apartment. Alfred smiled back and made his way inside, raising an eyebrow at the mess inside.

“Master Dick, your cleaning habits are frankly, lacking,” Alfred said to him. Dick chuckled in amusement and shrugged his shoulders, closing the door shut behind him.

“You're not the only one who thinks so. Jason's been on my case about it too,” he said with a laugh.

“Alfie!” Kaden called with one of his infectious giggles as he held his hands out toward Alfred. Alfred chuckled in amusement as he knelt down and picked the boy up. Kaden giggled happily and hugged him.

“You know, you don't have to keep coming out here Alfred. We've got it covered, it's totally fine,” Dick said smoothly. Alfred looked around the apartment and arched an elegant brow, then turned his attention to Dick.

“Really Master Dick? Judging from the looks of this place 'fine' is the last word I would use to describe it,” Alfred replied, setting the toddler back down on the floor. He clapped his hands together and moved into the kitchen to get to work. “And besides, I did promise to come by and aid you and Master Jason once in a while. Speaking of, where is he?”

Dick sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, briefly glancing toward the door

“He's not here right now,” Dick replied. Alfred glanced up at him and took note of his tone and posture; they'd had another fight, it seemed. Alfred moved out of the kitchen and into the living room, ushering Kaden to his bedroom.

“Would you like to talk about it?” Alfred asked, standing before Dick as he began picking up the clothes littered around the living room. Dick heaved a sigh and recounted the argument they had had this morning and Alfred listened attentively while he worked.

“Master Dick, have you considered how Jason was raised?” Alfred asked. Dick quirked an eyebrow as he looked up at Alfred. What did that have to do with anything? “Master Jason grew up on the streets of Gotham, in Crime Alley. An urban jungle, if you will.” Dick could see where this conversation was going and he started to feel like a bit of an ass.

“Put yourself in his shoes for a moment; he's doing what he has to to protect not only his child, but you as well.” And then Dick felt even worse. He didn't approve of all the killing, but considering how Jason grew up, how he had to claw and scrounge, even turn to crime just to survive...

Alfred picked up the ring box off of the table and handed it to Dick.

“Not having second thoughts, are you?” he asked. Dick shook his head immediately and took the box, tucking it safely into his pocket.

“No! No of course not. I love Jason, it's just-”

“Then let that be enough Master Dick. Love, trust, and support.”

_._._._._

Jason unlocked the door to his and Dick's shared apartment early the next morning, pushing the door open quietly in case Dick and Kaden were still asleep. To his surprise, both Dick and Kaden were wide awake, both in the living room; Kaden sitting on the couch eating his breakfast and watching cartoons, and Dick was doing one-handed push ups on the floor. What was even more surprising was, for once, the place was nice and tidy.

Kaden looked up from the TV as the door opened and smiled brightly. He placed his plate on the table and jumped off the couch, rushing over to his father and into his arms.

“Daddy!” Kaden chortled as Jason knelt down and enveloped him in a hug. “Up! Up!” Kaden called and Jason obliged with a toothy grin, picking the little boy up and hugging him tight.

“Hey champ! Daddy's so happy to see you!” Jason replied cheerily. Dick chuckled in amusement as he pushed himself into a sitting position, panting a little as he grabbed a nearby towel and dabbed his brow. He pushed himself to his feet and tossed the towel onto the table before moving across the room and pressing a kiss to Jason's lips.

“Hey,” he offered with a smile. Jason smiled back at him and put Kaden down and gestured toward his bedroom.

“Why don't you go play with your toys, hm? Daddy and Papa have to have a grown up conversation,” Jason said to him.

“Can we go to the park after?” Kaden asked. Jason chuckled in amusement and ruffled the boy's dark hair, kissing the top of his head.

“Sure,” he replied and Kaden ran down the hallway, cheering happily. Jason stood at full height again and both he and Dick stood there silently, awkwardly for a few moments, waiting for the other to say something.

“Look, Dick, I'm sorry about yesterday,” Jason began, heaving a sigh and rubbing the back of his neck nervously. “I didn't mean to blow up like that. It's just-”

“It's okay Jaybird. You were right,” Dick interrupted, sighing slightly as he ran a hand through his hair. “I have been making decisions without talking to you first, and I am kind of a slob-”

“Kind of?” Jason teased with a smirk. Dick snorted, and playfully slapped the man's arm.

“The point is, if we're going to make this work, we both need to put in effort. Not just you,” Dick said smoothly. The two of them stood there again, awkward silence spreading between them. Then Dick closed the space and pressed a kiss to Jason's lips. Jason wrapped his strong arms around Dick's bare waist and pulled him close, tongue swiping along his bottom lip, deepening the kiss. Though the moment lasted only seconds, it was all the other needed as they pulled apart from each other, grinning from ear to ear.

“And I guess... _maybe_ I'll concede to let you have some ammo. But only some,” Dick said softly. Jason locked eyes with his boyfriend and smirked a bit.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. I get it Jason, I do. I mean, we were raised completely differently, and I know you're just looking out for me and Kaden, but, and can I ask this _one_ thing?” Dick asked. Jason licked his lips, glancing around the room and considering the request for a moment before giving a slight nod. 

“Sure.”

“Please, only use kill shots as a _last resort_?” Jason smiled at the request and stole another kiss.

“That all?”

“Yeah. Well, and maybe the...anger thing.” Jason heaved an exasperated sigh but was still smirking. He ran a hand through his hair and nodded, other arm still pinning Dick against him.

“Yeah, I'm working on it Dickie. I'm working on it. But you need to-”

“Clean up after myself more, yes I know. And from now on, I promise to talk to you first before making any decisions. Okay?”

“Okay.” Dick and Jason smiled at each other and leaned in for another kiss, when Kaden bounced out of his room in a pair of jeans and a Superman t-shirt, giggling happily.

“Daddy and Papa are happy!” he said cheerily. Dick and Jason laughed as they both knelt down and held their arms out for the boy, who raced into their arms and hugged his parents lovingly.

“Can we go to the park now?”


	8. Starting School

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's two years later and Kaden's, now four, first day of preschool quickly approaches.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt by kate1zena: Kaden's first day of preschool. Enjoy ^^
> 
> Dick - 29  
> Jason - 27  
> Kaden - 4

Jason sighed deeply as he lay in bed, the room dimly lit by the first rays of dawn. He glanced over at Dick who lay on his stomach, arms around his pillow, sound asleep. Then he glanced down at Kaden who was stretched out between them. Poor little guy had had a nightmare about a clown, to which Jason could very much sympathize, and came running into their room scared.

Kaden turned four this year and in a short week, he’d be heading off for his first day of preschool. So Jason lay there, looking down at his sleeping son, through his messy black hair at his little face and thought _fuck, stop growing up so fast, kid._

He glanced over at the clock; it was almost eight in the morning, so Alfred would be here shortly.

“Morning,” came a hoarse, tired voice from beside him. He looked over to see Dick staring at him through half lidded eyes with a smile on his face. Jason smiled back at him and leaned in closer for a quick kiss.

“Morning,” Jason replied, finally pushing himself up in the bed, glancing back out the window. Then he looked back to Kaden, who had just snuggled up against Dick. Dick snickered in amusement and looked up at Jason.

“Sleeps like you,” he said. Jason quirked an eyebrow.

“Yeah? How’s that?” Jason asked. Dick snorted.

“You really don’t know? You both cuddle in your sleep,” Dick replied. Jason shrugged and shook his head.

“Must be some other Jason, because you see, I’m a bad ass, and bad asses don’t snuggle. You cheatin’ on me Dickie-bird?” Jason said with a teasing smirk. Dick just nodded while he spoke, grin on his face.

“Right, right. Another Jason, because my husband doesn’t have a soft, teddy bear center,” Dick teased. Jason snorted.

“Absolutely not,” he said with an affirmative nod. Dick laughed in amusement, keeping his voice down to let Kaden sleep. That wasn’t to be, however, because the little boy yawned and stretched, sitting up in the bed. Dick pressed a hand over his mouth to keep from laughing, because Kaden had the most adorable little scowl on his face. He looked up at his father, yawned, then looked at Dick, and that’s when he broke, and laughed.

“Mornin,” the little boy muttered, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

“Good morning, Jason Jr,” Dick replied, patting his head. Jason snorted and rolled his eyes, moving over to the dressed to grab a shirt. He pulled on a white t-shirt he bought as a gag at the store. When he turned, Dick couldn’t help but snort as he tried not to laugh again. The shirt said “I Love Dick” and it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out exactly what it meant. 

“What’s wrong, Dick?” Jason asked innocently. Fortunately, their four year old son had no idea what the shirt meant. He thought it was referring to Dick, which of course made Jason laugh even harder.

“You’re not really going to where that when Alfred gets here, are you?” Dick asked, quirking an eyebrow. Jason just wiggled his eyebrows and shuffled out of the bedroom. Dick sighed, facepalming as he sat up in the bed, watching as Kaden followed after his father.

Moments later, the door opened up and Alfred came through, having his own set of keys for the apartment.

“Good morning Master Jason. Young Kaden,” Alfred said, inclining his head as he shut the door behind him.

“You’re both up early,” he observed, and it was early for them because they were normally dead asleep for at least an hour after he arrived. But the man wasted no time in getting to work, starting with cooking breakfast.

“Morning Alfred,” Jason called, shuffling into the kitchen to start some coffee.

“Morning Alfie,” Kaden called, following his father around the living room. Jason flopped down on the couch and turned on the morning cartoons and Kaden climbed up into Jason’s lap. It had become a ritual of sorts; every Saturday morning, Jason and Kaden would turn on Saturday morning cartoons and Kaden would climb up on his father’s lap and they’d sit there and watch cartoons together for a couple of hours.

“Well, isn’t that cute,” came Dick’s voice from the bedroom. Jason and Kaden both glanced up at the man who was already in uniform, ready to head over to Bludhaven for work. He moved over toward the couch and kissed Kaden’s head, then stole a kiss from Jason.

“Good morning, Master Dick. You have time for breakfast?” Alfred asked. Dick glanced at the clock; he still had an hour before he had to head out.

“Yeah, sure. Thanks Alf,” Dick replied, sitting down beside Jason. He wrapped an arm around Jason’s shoulders and tugged him a little closer. Jason glared at him, his ‘it’s too early for this crap’ glare. And Dick just snickered in amusement.

About fifteen minutes later, Alfred called from the kitchen “breakfast is ready.” So Kaden hopped down from his father’s lap and ran to the kitchen and climbed into one of the chairs; the kid was pretty adamant about ‘being a big boy now’ and no longer needing his high chair. Dick and Jason follwed him minutes later to find plates of pancakes already waiting for the, with cups of coffee.

“Mm, shit, looks good Alfred,” Jason said with a grin.

“Language Master Jason. You don’t want a certain child to be repeating those words, do you?” Alfred asked, glancing over at Jason. Jason bit his lip.

“Oops.” And so they ate breakfast, mostly in silence, aside from Kaden’s usually humming while he ate. He finished first, naturally and was ready to go and play with his toys.

“Can I be excused?” he asked, little feet swaying back and forth impatiently. Alfred gave the boy a smile and a nod.

“You may.” And without further delay, Kaden smiled, hopped down from the chair and hurried into his room to play with his toys. Jason and Dick watched in amusement as he vanished into his bedroom, then they turned their attention to each other.

“He’s got preschool next week. We have a few things we need to hash out,” Dick said smoothly. Jason gave a nod, finishing the last bite of his food.

“I know. The kid’s getting smart. I hear he’s already asking where we go at night,” Jason said with an amused grin. Dick gave a nod.

“Oh yeah, he’s like his father.”

“And you. You’re his father now too, y’know,” Jason pointed out, sipping his coffee. Dick gave a curt nod.

“Two years and still getting used to that. To being a dad,” Dick said with a small smile. He turned back to Jason and said “but yeah, you need a cover story or something. I mean, I’m a cop, so that’s all the excuse I need.” Jason gave a nod, sipping his coffee again.

“I’m sure I’ll think of something. In the meantime, we may need a new place to hide our gear. I think we’ve procrastinated on that point long enough. It’s only a matter of time before he started asking why we have a pad locked closet,” Jason said in an amused tone.

“Already got it covered!” Dick said with a grin. Jason quirked an eyebrow at him.

“Oh yeah? What’s that?”

“Zeta tube. You know that shitty old phone booth in the alleyway? Yeah, had that retrofitted as a Zeta Tube. Leads directly to my Bludhaven apartment building. Perfect place to store our gear,” Dick explained. Jason chuckled in amusement.

“Well, you’ve thought of everything, haven’t you, Dickie-bird?” Jason asked. Dick smiled at him and patted him on the back.

“Almost everything.”

* * * * *

The week passed by like nothing in which Jason and Dick worked on a cover story for Jason to explain where he goes at night when he goes out as the Red Hood. They even contacted Bruce for help when they couldn’t think of anything, and so he offered the explanation that Jason was working as a bartender at a local club. Jason rather liked the idea, and it was plausible enough to work for now. At least for a few years anyway.

And while Kaden slept at night, he and Dick began moving their gear over to Bludhaven via zeta tube. They’d already caught Kaden staring at the padlock on the closet a few times, so the timing couldn’t have been any better. 

And now, Kaden’s first day of preschool was here. Jason and Dick were running around the house helping Kaden get ready because they almost overslept too long. Only five minutes, but still! They didn’t want him to be late on his first day!

Alfred wasn’t here today, so they were on their own, so they made breakfast just for Kaden with a glass of orange juice. And Dick, the nerd that he was, had Kaden dressed in a blue superman t-shirt with a pair of jeans and batman sneakers. 

Jason had just come out of his room with the usual on; jeans, boots, t-shirt, leather jacket, and Dick was in uniform, having convinced his boss to let him come in late so he could see Kaden off on his first day of preschool. Jason came into the kitchen and patted Kaden’s head.

“You all set, champ?” he asked, moving toward the coffee pot and filling a travel cup with coffee. He screwed the lid on tight and tossed it to Dick as the man came out of the bathroom. Dick snatched it out of the air and blew Jason a kiss. The man just smirked and rolled his eyes, filling a cup of his own.

“Okay daddy, I’m ready!” Kaden called, hopping out of his chair. 

“Alright, let’s get going then. I’m driving!” Jason called, snatched the keys up off of the coffee table and heading out the door, Dick and Kaden behind him. They chose the Lamborghini, or rather Jason chose it, the three of them climbing in, Dick in the passenger’s seat and Kaden in the back. Jason grinned like a kid in a candy store as he revved the engine once and-

“We have a kid in the car,” Dick scolded. Jason frowned a little, glancing back at Kaden who was just looking out the window.

“Yeah, I know, I know. Spoil sport,” Jason replied, sticking out his tongue at the man as he pulled away from the apartment building. The entire drive the the preschool was silent save for the sounds of Jason or Dick sipping their coffee. Then the building came into view and Kaden leaned against his seat belt to point to it out the window excitedly.

“There it is daddy!” he called. Jason flashed an amused look back at the boy from his rear view mirror.

“Yeah, I see it kiddo,” he called back, coming to a stop right in front of the building. A couple of the preschool teachers, an elderly woman and a young brunette woman, stood at the end of the walkway waiting for the children. Jason heaved a sigh and hopped out of the car along with Dick and the two of them went to the back to let Kaden out. The boy hopped out of the car and Jason knelt down in front of him, hands resting on the boy’s shoulders.

“Okay buddy, listen up! Behave today, okay? And you remember what we talked about?” Jason asked, looking his son in the eye.

“Yes daddy. If anyone picks on me-”

“Go and tell a teacher,” he and Jason said in unison. Jason smiled at him and pressed a kiss to the boy’s forehead. Frankly, he wanted to teach the boy to make a fist and punch the little turd that tried to pick on him, but Dick scolded him about that.

“Good boy. Now, daddy and Dickie both love you, okay?” Jason asked with a smile. Kaden looked to his father, then to Dick who was smiling at him too, then he smiled and hugged Jason. Jason hugged the boy and then Kaden ran up to Dick and hugged him too.

“Have fun at school okay? And stay out of trouble!” Dick said. Kaden nodded.

“I will. Love you, bye bye!” he called, heading for the building. Jason jammed his hands into his pockets and the two of them stood there and watched him go.

“First child?” the young woman asked. Jason glanced over at her and flashed a smile.

“Yeah,” he replied simply. The girl smiled at him and gave a knowing look.

“All first time parents are always anxious when their kids go off to school for the first time. But don’t worry, he’ll be fine,” she offered, following the children as the bell rang.

“You already miss him, don’t you Jaybird?” Dick teased. Jason snorted, about to make a smart ass comment. Then he looked Dick in the eye, seeing a sincere look instead of his usual snarky one.

“Shit, yeah,” Jason replied with a little laugh, heading for the car. Dick pressed a kiss to his cheek.

“Don’t worry Jaybird, he’ll be fine. He’s your kid after all,” Dick said with a smile. Jason grinned and hopped into the driver’s seat.

“He’s ours Dick. So yeah, I know he’ll be fine on his own.”


	9. Bad Words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaden's teacher has a little chat with his parents about some language he's been using.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Prompt By kate1zena:** "the first call Dick  & Jason get from Kaden's teachers is "Kaden is using naughty words in class".....and he's 5. XD "
> 
> Dick - 30  
> Jason - 28  
> Kaden - 5

Today was Kaden’s first day of Kindergarten, to which he had actually been looking forward to. Dick and Jason were on their way to pick him up and Dick was driving while Jason was on his phone. His black phone.

“I don’t care. You tell them that either they back down, or the Red Hood will pay them personal visit, and they don’t want me knocking on their door,” Jason growled, hanging up the phone. He sighed, raking a hand through his hair and pocketing the phone. Dick glanced over at Jason and gave a shrug.

“Idiots, all of them. I swear to god, they’re worse than children,” he said sourly. Dick gave Jason another glance and a smirk and Jason frowned and asked “what’s that look for?”

“Nothing,” Dick replied. Jason snorted.

“Pfft, nothing,” he mumbled. They pulled up to the school and Dick leaned over and stole a kiss.

“C’mon, let’s go pick up baby bird,” Dick said cheerily. Jason hopped out of the car and he and Dick made their way to Kaden’s classroom. They were a little early, but only by a couple of minutes. The Kindergarten classes were always half days, so they’d be out within the next few minutes.

Jason and Dick stood outside the door to Kaden’s classroom, both of them watching their little boy playing with his friends, Michael and Melinda. The bell rang moments later, signaling the end of class. They could hear the teacher talking to the children as they started putting the toys and books away and moved to their cubbyholes to grab their bags. Dick and Jason exchanged looks before pushing open the door and stepping into the classroom. Kaden glanced up from his book and saw his parents, face lightning up. He pushed the book onto the shelf, then rushed up to the two of them, arms out stretched.

“Daddy! Papa!” he called cheerily. Jason smiled brightly and knelt down, catching Kaden in his arms and lifting him up, hugging him tight and Dick kissed his head, Kaden reaching over to him for a hug.

“Hey champ, how was your day?” Dick asked. Kaden started babbling to them about all the things they did that day, talking so fast they could barely understand him. Of course that was interrupted when his teacher, Mrs. Ryder, came up to the three of them. She was a young blonde woman with green eyes, and slightly short stature, barely standing five foot two.

“Hey Kaden, why don’t you go play a little bit more. I need to talk to your parent,” she said sweetly. Jason put Kaden down and sent him on his way, saying goodbye to his friends as they passed.

“Is something wrong?” Jason asked, concerned. He and Dick exchanged glances when Mrs. Ryder looked over her shoulder at Kaden. She looked back at his parents and gave a nod.

“There is. Your son...he said some rather bad words in the class today. He called another boy an...” the teacher hesitated and bit her lip, then said in a low tone so Kaden wouldn’t hear “an a-hole. And he said the ‘F’ word once or twice.”

Dick glared at Jason and swatted his arm.

“See? What’d I tell you!” Dick snapped. Jason frowned and raised his hands defensively.

“Hey, it’s not my fault!”

“It so is! I told you to watch your language, but-”

“I do watch my fuc-er...my language,” Jason retorted, cutting himself off before he said what he really wanted to say. Dick sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose and looked back to Mrs. Ryder, who seemed mildly amused.

“We’re so sorry. We’ll talk to him,” Dick said apologetically while Jason stood beside him, hands jammed into his pockets with a little pout on his face. 

“And I’m sure my husband will watch his language in the future. Won’t you Jason?” Dick scolded. Jason huffed but gave a nod.

“Yeah, yeah, get off my case,” Jason muttered, earning himself another swat. Mrs. Ryder smiled and gave a nod, and Dick waved Kaden over. The boy, bright smile on his face, bounced over and grabbed his bag out of the cubbyhole and the three of them left together.

On the drive home, Dick glanced back at Kaden in the rear view mirror,

“Kaden,” he called, getting the little boy’s attention “your teacher told us you said some bad words today.” Kaden looked at his papa with an innocent look on his face.

“Said you called a kid an asshole and said fuck a few times,” Jason blurted out, to which Dick glared and swatted at him again. Jason raised his hands defensively and glared back “hey! What was that for?”

“Yeah,” Kaden replied from the backseat. Dick looked at him through the rear view mirror again and gave a slight smile.

“Well, look little wing, those are bad words. You can’t say those words.”

“But daddy says them all the time,” Kaden replied, to which Dick shot Jason another glare. Jason flinched and shrugged, giving an innocent look. Dick snorted, then looked in the mirror again at Kaden.

“That’s because daddy is a bad boy. He needs to watch his language too, don’t you, Jason?” Dick replied, glaring at his husband. Jason snorted and Dick elbowed him. Jason huffed and turned in his seat, looking back at Kaden.

“Papa is right. Just because daddy says those things, doesn’t mean you should. Daddy’s going to be watching his own language now though. So you do too, okay?” Jason explained. Kaden gave a nod.

“Okay daddy,” he said with a smile, pulling a toy batmobile out of his backpack. Jason smiled and ruffled the boy’s hair, turning right in his seat. Dick quirked an eyebrow at him and Jason shrugged.

“What? I said I’d try,” he said smoothly. They heard the sound of Kaden’s toy batmobile hitting the floor.

“Shit,” came Kaden's tiny voice from the backseat.


	10. Papa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick has the day off and so he and Kaden go to the park.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've decided to expand the "Jason being a dad" prompt, so I'm doing a few one-shots with Kaden and other members of the family. Next, I think will be grandpa Bruce. :D Anywho, enjoy the fluffiness ^^

“I’m a plane! Weeee! Ahaha!” Kaden laughed as Dick ran around the open field with Kaden held up above his head, the little boy’s arms outstretched. Dick laughed carried the boy, Kaden’s laughter downright infectious. Dick had the day off from work, so he opted to spend it with his husband and his son. Unfortunately, Jason had “business” to attend to. Dick would be the first to admit that he didn’t care for Jason’s work as The Red Hood, but nor could he argue with the results. He had the gangs under his control and through his and Bruce’s combined efforts, crime in Gotham was at a record low.

“You’re flying!” Dick called with a laugh, tossing Kaden in the air and catching him. Kaden laughed even more, then reached down for a hug from his papa. Dick smiled brightly and hugged the boy to his chest, until he started to squirm a bit, signifying that the moment had passed. Dick put the boy down and ruffled his hair, Kaden smiling up at him with a toothy grin, eyes gleaming.

“C’mon papa, let’s go play on the swing!” Kaden called cheerily. Dick laughed as the little boy tugged him across the playground to the swing set, jumping into the nearest swing.

“Push!”

“Push what?” Dick asked, moving behind the little boy.

“Please?”

“Good boy,” Dick said with a smile, giving Kaden a few good pushes to get him going. Kaden laughed, his legs pumping as he started going higher. And again, the little boy’s infectious laughter was getting to Dick, his own laughter ringing out alongside Kaden’s. Until Kaden started to go a little too high.

“Kaden, little wing, slow down, you’re...you’re going a little too high,” Dick called with concern, no longer pushing the swing.

“I can go higher, papa!” Kaden called. And he did...and ended up throwing himself from the swing by accident.

“Kaden!” Dick called, lurching forward and catching the boy in his arms, falling down on his back, the wind knocked clean out of him as he hit the ground. Dick groaned and blinked his eyes a bit and Kaden sat up on his papa’s chest, a sad look on his face.

“I’m sorry papa. Are you okay?” he asked sadly. Dick groaned again and pushed himself into a sitting position, hugging the boy to his chest.

“Papa is okay. But you scared me. Don’t do that again, okay?” Dick said sternly. The boy, crestfallen, gave a nod, unable to look at his papa. Dick melted like a puddle and a smile spread across his lips as he cupped the boy’s face and made him look at him.

“It’s okay, but now you know better, right?”

“Mhm.”

“So,” Dick began, sliding out from underneath Kaden and dusting himself off “what do you say we go get lunch? Maybe some pizza and ice cream, then go visit auntie Barbara for a little bit, then come back and play some more?” Kaden smiled brightly at the mention of his aunt Barbara and nodded eagerly.

“Okay!” Kaden chortled. Dick smiled at the boy, ruffling his hair and taking his tiny hand in his, leading him back to the car. Dick lifted the boy and helped him into his car seat, then slid into the driver’s seat, making the short drive just down the street to the local pizzeria.

They ordered Kaden’s favorite; bacon, pepperoni and pineapple, ate in the restaurant, and then off they went to Barbara’s place, but not before stopping for some ice cream.

But when they got to Barbara’s apartment, Kaden was jumping up and down in excitement, and Dick was just smiling in amusement as he knocked on the door. Minutes later, the door flew open and Kaden practically threw himself at her.

“Auntie Babs!” he chortled. Barbara laughed and hugged the little boy.

“Hey, there’s my favorite little trouble-maker! C’mon in,” she said, wheeling her way into the living room, Kaden and Dick right behind her.

“Sorry for the unannounced visit. I uh-”

“Don’t worry about it, you’re always welcome here,” Barbara replied, flashing him a smile. Barbara turned on the television, tuning into one of Kaden's favorite shows. Dick sat down in an arm chair and Kaden sat in his lap. Dick smiled down at the boy and kissed his head, wrapping his arms around him.

Kaden was completely enthralled in his show while Barbara and Dick chatted away about inconsequential things. But the topics started to get a bit serious.

“Kaden, why don’t you go play your games on auntie Babs’ computer while papa and I talk?” Barbara asked, flashing a smile. At only five years old, the boy was able to use a computer on his own. He was a smart kid and learned fast. Kaden looked up at her and smiled, hopping out of his papa’s lap.

“Okay! Thank you!” he said cheerily, bouncing into the other room. Barbara smiled at him and ruffled his hair.

“You’re welcome sweetie,” she replied. Once he was out of earshot, she turned to Dick and asked “so what’s wrong?” Dick sighed and raked a hand through his hair; he could never hide anything from her.

“It’s just...Jason’s work...I-”

“Worry?” she asked, patting his knee. Dick gave a small nod.

“Yeah. I mean, vigilante work is dangerous enough, but as the Red Hood...” Dick bit his lip and looked down at the flood, his hands clenching into fists. Barbara sighed and gave him a hug.

“You’re afraid of losing him again.” Dick gave another nod.

“I am. I’ve never loved anyone as much as I love Jason, and after last week’s scare...”

“He’ll be okay, Dick,” Barbara reassured him. Dick managed a small smile and gave a nod.

“I know. It’s just-”

“Say no more. I get it,” she answered, gently rubbing his shoulder. Dick chuckled a bit and gave her a hug.

“Thanks for listening. I know I can be-”

“A pain in the ass-” Barbara finished with a laugh. Dick snorted with held back laughter, but nodded nonetheless. Barbara sighed contentedly and patted his arm, their conversation returning to lighter things.

And as promised, Dick and Kaden returned to the park to play some more. That ended with both Dick and Kaden sprawled out on the grass beside one another, staring up at the sky.

“Today was fun papa. I wish we could do it more,” Kaden said in a disappointed tone. Dick felt a twinge of guilt; he was at work in Bludhaven most of the days of the week so he didn’t really get to spend much time with Kaden. Though the gears started turning in his head, and maybe he could do something to change that? But for now, Dick turned his head, glancing over at Kaden.

“Tell you what. Next week when I have time off, you, me, and daddy will go to the carnival. How does that sound?” Dick asked. Kaden yawned and stretched his tiny limbs, rolling over on his side; nap time was approaching.

“That sounds fun papa.”

“Ready to go home and nap?” Dick asked with a small smile. Kaden yawned again, curling up against Dick’s side, and shook his head.

“M’not tired. Just resting my eyes,” he replied. Dick chuckled in amusement and carefully got to his feet, gingerly picking the little boy up. Kaden absently wrapped his arms around his papa’s neck. Dick turned to see Jason approaching, his expression brightening. Jason smiled at him, hands jammed in his jacket pockets as he approached. He stopped before the two of them, patting Kaden’s hair affectionately, then pressing a quick kiss to Dick’s lips.

“Hey. Sorry I couldn’t be with you guys today,” Jason apologized. Dick shook his head.

“No, I get it. But we’re going to the carnival next week. All three of us. Understood?” Dick more or less stated. Jason smiled and gave a nod, his arm snaking around Dick’s waist and pulling him against his side.

“Sounds fun. So how was your day?” Jason asked. Dick smiled, kissing Jason’s cheek.

“Why don’t we go home, put Kaden down for his nap, then snuggle up on the couch and I’ll tell you all about it.”

“Sure thing Dickie.”


	11. A Day on the Farm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick, Jason, and Kaden visit Tim, Connor, and Clark at the Kent Farm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Prompt:** Little Kaden spends some time at the Kent Farm
> 
> This one was kate1zena's idea, as I recall. I can't really remember, it was so long ago, and I've been procrastinating really bad on it. xD Not exactly news I guess, since I've practically mastered the art of procrastination. xD This actually should have been done days ago, but regardless, here it is. :D
> 
> Dick: 30  
> Jason: 28  
> Kaden: 5

“C'mon Dick, we're going to be late!” Jason called as he grabbed up his duffel bag. He turned and found Kaden sitting on the floor with his farm animal toys unpacked and scattered across the floor. He groaned and face palmed, kneeling down to pick up the toys. Kaden giggled as he grabbed a little plastic white and black cow and held it out towards his father.

“Cow says MOOOOOO!” Kaden called happily. Jason chuckled to himself and held his hand out, the little boy handing over the cow for Jason to pack away. As he packed the last of the toy animals back into Kaden's bag, Dick finally came out of the bedroom with his own hastily packed bag slung over his shoulder.

“Sorry Jaybird. We ready to go?” Dick asked, kissing Jason's head. Jason rolled his eyes and picked Kaden up into the his arms, handing the boy's bag over to Dick and off they went to the airport. Bruce had offered them the use of one of his private planes, but Jason, stubborn as ever to do things on his own, declined. It wasn't like Jason or Dick lacked for money; Dick had his job and his trust find and Jason had his Red Hood money. Or to put it more bluntly, extortion money. In Jason's defense, however, he only took forty-percent off the streets. And even then, most of it went to charities, hospitals, or orphanages. Sometimes he left a wad of cash or two with some of the worst off families in the Bowery. And so they flew first class to Metropolis. Fortunately, it wasn't far, so the flight only lasted a couple of hours.

Tim and Kon were the ones who showed up to meet them at the airport, and Kaden's excitement rose at the sight of his uncle.

“Hey guys, how was-” Tim began, but was soon interrupted by the happy shriek of his nephew.

“UNCLE TIM!!!” Kaden shouted, tugging his little hands from his dad and papa as he raced up to his uncle and hugged his leg. Tim laughed and patted the boy's head, kneeling down and giving him a hug.

“Hey! There's my little wing!” Tim said cheerily, sharing a knowing look with Dick. Kaden went on babbling for a full two minutes about what he'd been learning, the things that he'd been doing in school, and lastly the 'new word' daddy taught him, which promptly earned Jason a head slap.

They took Connor's truck to Smallville, back to the farm with Jason and Dick in back and Kaden staring out the window playing “I spy” with his Uncle Tim. That was until they came closer to the farm and Kaden started spotting the farm animals. Then his attention shifted from the game to the animals.

Finally, the house came into view and Kaden was practically bouncing with excitement. Exiting the truck and grabbing their bags, they made their way to the house with Kaden leading the way. He gave a knock at the door, not bothering to wait for the others, and when Martha answered the door-

“Nana Kent!” Kaden chortled. Martha laughed as she hugged the little boy and greeted the others likewise.

“Hello sweetheart! Dick, Jason! Oh it's so good to have you here!” she said with a warm smile, hugging each of them in greeting.

“It's good to see you Martha!” Dick said cheerily with a warm hug. Martha gestured toward the inside of the house, opening her home to all of them; she was sort of the motherly type, always warm and welcoming to everyone.

“Thanks for having us,” Jason added, giving her a strong, one-armed hug before following Dick and Tim up the stairs to the guest bedrooms.

“Connor, honey, would you help me with dinner? Clark is working late tonight,” Martha said smoothly, watching as Kaden followed his parents and Tim up the stairs.

“Yes ma'am,” Connor replied, following her into the kitchen. Once the trio was settled into the guest rooms, they made their way back downstairs for dinner, Clark having shown up just in time.

“Sorry I'm late, mother,” Clark said with a smile, hugging the woman and kissing her on the head. She patted his back and led him to the dinner table, giving a dismissive hand wave. 

“Oh it's fine Clark! I know how your work keeps you busy,” she replied.

“Uncle Clark!” Kaden chortled happily, earning a smile from the man. Clark ruffled the little boy's hair as he passed by him, taking a seat at the table between Connor and Martha. They enjoyed a nice meal of steak, baked potato and broccoli. Martha even had the forethought to put cheese sauce on Jason and Kaden's broccoli; like father like son as they say, since it was the only way either f them would eat broccoli. 

As they enjoyed their meal, accompanied by friendly banter, jokes, and laughs, Kaden popped into the conversation with a question that silenced them all.

“Uncle Clark,” Kaden called, swallowing a piece of steak. Clark looked up at the little boy as he cut into a piece of steak, pushing his glasses up his nose again, waiting for Kaden to continue. “I was just wonderin' something. How do you know my daddy? And my papa?” Silence filled the room as they all subtly exchanged glances. Fortunately, Clark was a quick thinker.

“Well you see Kaden, I did a few interviews with your grandpa. We became good friends as a result. I met your parents at some of Bruce's charity events when they were kids themselves.” Kaden looked between his parents and Clark, then sighed.

“Hmm. That sounds kind of dull. You should add in Superman and Batman! That would make your story way more fun!” Kaden chortled, earning a laugh from everyone.

“I'll make sure to touch the story up later. Thanks for the advice,” Clark said with a smile, winking at Dick and Jason who were grinning at the irony.

“You're welcome! Nana Kent,” Kaden said then, drawing the woman's attention.

“Yes sweetie?”

“Can you wake me up really early tomorrow? I wanna help with the animals too!” Kaden asked. Martha gave a chuckle of amusement as she took a sip of her drink, glancing over at his parents.  
“Well I don't see why not. If it's okay with your parents,” she replied. Jason turned to Kaden who was looking at him excitedly.

“Sure Kades, but you'll have to go to bed early so you can wake up early. Understood?” Jason asked. Kaden let out a little cheer and hugged his dad.

“Yay! I get to feed the animals!”

._._._._.

“Kaden. Kaden, wake up,” Clark whispered as he attempted the little boy. Kaden groaned and rolled over in his bed, tugging the blankets up over his face.

“Just a little longer, 'kay?” he murmured. Clark chuckled in amusement as he shook the boy awake again.

“C'mon, don't you want to feed the animals?” At that, Kaden shot out of bed with a goofy grin on his face.

“Yeah!” he said excitedly as he hopped out of bed. He quickly got dressed then rushed to the bathroom to brush his hair and teeth, and was down the stairs with Clark behind him.

“Morning Nana Kent! I'm gonna go feed th animals!” Kaden called, racing for the door.

“Not yet, sweetheart. You need to eat breakfast first!” Martha called after him, placing a place of bacon, eggs and toast on the table with a glass of orange juice.

“Aw...okay,” Kaden murmured, sitting up at the table. Martha smiled and patted the boy's back as she sipped her coffee.

“Don't worry, the animals will still be there when you finish.” Kaden woofed down his breakfast and out the door he went with Clark behind him. Kaden waved to his father and his papa who were working with Connor in the fields.

“Why don't you go over and see the pigs? We'll feed them first,” Clark offered, pointing the little boy in the direction of the pig pen. Kaden's little face lit up as he ran over to the pig pen to see the pigs. But what really caught his eye, were the piglets adjacent to them.

“Here you go. Why don't you help my by filling the piglet troughs with food and water? I'll take care of the pigs,” Clark told him, placing small buckets of food and water down beside Kaden.

“Okay Uncle Clark!” he said cheerily. He attempted to lift the buckets, but although they were small, they were still a little heavy. So instead, he dragged them over to the troughs. The piglets raced over, waiting for their food as Kaden tipped the bucket and filled the food trouble. He carried the empty bucket back over and repeated the process with the water bucket, giggled joyfully as some of the piglets let him pet them.

“All done?” Clark asked, patting the boy on the back. Kaden looked up at Clark and nodded, who then pointed over toward the chicken coops.

“Great! I'm going to go take care of the horses. Why don't you go help Nana with the chickens?”  
“Okay!” Kaden replied, running off toward the chicken coops. When he got there, Martha was just making her way over to the chicken pen with a bucket full of chicken feed. She caught sight of Kaden and smiled, waving him over.

“Do you want to help me feed the chickens?” she asked. Kaden nodded eagerly, watching the chickens run around their pen. Martha opened the pen and made her way inside with Kaden behind him. “Here. Take some of this chicken feed and just toss it,” Martha said. Kaden dipped his hands into the food and tossed it to the ground, giggled excitedly when the chickens came flocking over to eat.

“That's good Kaden!” Martha complimented with a laugh at the boy's enthusiasm. Kaden dipped his hand into the chicken feed again and this time, he knelt down and held his hand out. Three of the chickens came over to him and started pecking at his hand and he giggled as he fed them, reaching out to pet one of them.

“Nana look! I'm feeding the chickens!” Kaden called excitedly. Martha laughed as she tossed some more chicken feed.

“Yes I see! Seems they liked you!”

Once they were done feeding the chickens, they started collecting the eggs. Martha sent Kaden Clark's way. Kaden made his way to the stables where he found Clark brushing one of the horses. The man looked over in Kaden's direction as he heard the little boy's feet shuffling in his direction.

“Hi uncle Clark! Nana sent me to help!” Kaden said. When he caught sight of the horses, his little face lit up. “HORSIE!” He chortled, reaching up and patting the horse's snout. Clark smiled as he watched the boy and handed him the brush.

“Here, why don't you give it a try,” Clark said. Kaden beamed and took the brush, gently brushing the horse's mane. While he did that Clark subtly fished a couple of sugar cubes out of his pocket. “Kaden,” Clark said. Kaden turned and Clark deposited the cubes into his hand. Kaden's face lit up as he turned back to the horse and held his hand out. He let out a shrill giggle as the horse ate the sugar cubes right out of his hand.

“Having fun?” Clark asked.

“Yeah!”

._._._._.

“...and I fed the chickens, and I got to brush the horse, and feed him sugar cubes, and...” Kaden babbled on at the kitchen table to dinner. Everyone smiled in amusement as the little boy went on about his day.

“Well it sounds like you had a great time, Little Wing,” Dick replied with a warm smile, ruffling the boy's hair. Kaden looked up at his papa and grinned from ear to ear.

“Uh huh! And I can help again tomorrow too, right?!” Kaden asked.

“Of course, baby bird. We'll be here for a few days,” Jason replied. Kaden cheered happily as he woofed down his food.

“I can't wait until the next time we come back!”


	12. Sleepover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tonight is Kaden's first night away from home and Dick and Jason's first chance to be alone together. Alas, things don't always work out as planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Kaden's first sleepover
> 
> Dick - 30  
> Jason - 28  
> Kaden - 5
> 
> Because of my OCD, I've moved the chapter so everything is in Chronological order. xD

For the first time in five years, Jason and Dick finally had the house all to themselves, not counting their honeymoon, of course. Kaden was spending the night over at his friend Michael’s house and this would mark the first time Kaden had spent a day away from home.

Jason was a little apprehensive at first; at five years old, he was worried Kaden wouldn’t be able to handle it. But after sitting down and talking it through with Dick, he decided to let the boy go. He was growing up and some time away from home would be good for him.

“So Jaybird,” Dick said with a smirk, sauntering into the living room from the kitchen with a bowl of popcorn “what say we curl up on the couch to a cheesy love movie, maybe make out a little,” Dick sat down beside him and leaned over, kissing the man’s neck “and maybe have a little fun.” Jason shivered at the lust in his husband’s voice, lips curling into a seductive grin. He looked over at Dick and took the popcorn away from him, setting it down on the coffee table. He pushed Dick back onto the couch and straddled his waist, leaning down and kissing his jaw.

“Or we could skip the movie and get straight to the fun part,” he purred in Dick’s ear. Dick groaned when he felt Jason palming him through his jeans, his hips pushing up into the man’s hand, seemingly of their own accord.

“Damn Jaybird, you make a persuasive argument,” Dick answered, capturing the man’s lips in a deep kiss. The two men ignored the tv and the popcorn, trading kisses and nips at each other’s lips, jaw, neck, any skin they could reach. Shirts were discarded pants opened, and just as Jason dipped his hand beneath Dick’s boxers, his phone rang.

Both men huffed in annoyance, but Jason ignored it for the first few rings, gripping Dick’s erection in his fist, giving it a few pumps.

“Ngh, Jaybird. Y’gonna answer that,” Dick breathed, fingers clawing at the cushion beneath him. Jason just smirked at him and grabbed his phone, and held it to his ear with his shoulder, covering Dick’s mouth with his hand to stifle his moans while he kept stroking his husband’s dick with his other hand.

“Hey, whose calling?” he asked, not having bothered to look at the number. Dick began to protest, but it was drowned out by a moan as Jason rubbed his thumb over the head of his cock. He stopped for a few moments and Dick whimpered at the loss, earning a wink from Jason.

“Hi daddy,” came Kaden’s tiny voice from the other end of the phone. Jason’s smirk faded and he stopped everything, pulling away from Dick, who seemed quite annoyed, and very much turned on.

“Jay, don’t be so cruel,” Dick whined playfully. Jason glanced over at him and mouthed the name ‘Kaden’ and Dick’s expression turned serious as he zipped his pants back up.

“Hey buddy, what’s wrong?” Jason asked. There was a silence from the other end of the phone as Jason waited patiently. Then came a sigh.

“Nothing. Just wanted to say hi,” Kaden replied in a low tone. Jason frowned and looked at the clock; it was ten pm so it wasn’t ‘nothing’.

“Kaden, what’s wrong?” Jason repeated. Another sigh.

“Nothing’s wrong. I’m okay daddy,” Kaden replied. Dick gave Jason a knowing glance, having heard a little bit of it and held out his hand. Jason handed the phone over to Dick.

“Hey little wing. It’s papa. C’mon, tell me what’s wrong.”

“Nothing’s wrong,” Kaden answered once more, a tad annoyed.

“Kaden Todd-Grayson, what have daddy and I told you about lying.” A pause and then yet another sigh.

“That it’s wrong.”

“So can you tell papa and daddy what’s wrong?” Dick asked. Jason snatched the phone away from Dick.

“Can’t sleep buddy?” Jason asked. Another pause and then Jason heard the sounds of footsteps from the other end. A woman, Michael’s mother most likely started talking to him, but he couldn’t make out any of the words.

“No.”

“Homesick?”

“...yes. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay buddy,” Jason answered with a sigh. Kaden huffed from the other end.

“Are you mad?”

“No, of course not kiddo. But look, you did a good job, staying away from home so long. You’re just not ready. Do you want daddy to come get you?” Jason asked. Another silence and Jason glanced over at Dick to see the man shaking his head and rolling his eyes.

“He’s just as stubborn and prideful as you are,” Dick whispered teasingly, earning the finger from his husband, to which he responded by sticking out his tongue.

“...Okay.” Jason chuckled a bit and nodded.

“Alright buddy, daddy and papa will come and get you.” Jason closed his phone and sighed, pulling on his shirt and tossing Dick’s to him. Dick caught it and pulled it on, then moved across the apartment and kicked on his shoes.

“Well, so much for our night alone,” Dick said softly. Jason shrugged.

“Yeah, but it’s not entirely unexpected. I mean, c’mon, he’s only five and it was his first night away from home.”

“I know, I know,” Dick replied with a smile, kissing the man’s jaw.

“I ever tell you you’re damn adorable when you’re being all fatherly?” Dick asked, snaking a hand around the man’s waist as he led him out of the apartment. Jason chuckled in amusement and placed a kiss to his head.

“Only about a thousand times.”

“Only a thousand?”

* * * * *

Dick and Jason arrived at the house to find Kaden in his superman pajamas and his little sidebag of clothes slung over his shoulder, waiting outside with Michael and the boy’s mother.

“Hey little wing!” Dick called with a smile on his face, kneeling down and stretching his arms open. Kaden smiled brightly and rushed toward his papa, throwing himself in the man's arms. Dick laughed and lifted the little boy up, patting his back and kissing his head.

“I’m sorry papa. I tried,” Kaden said with a sad expression. Dick shook his head and kissed the little boy’s forehead again.

“Aw, don’t worry Kade, daddy and I aren’t mad. And hey, you tried, so you’re totally on your way to being a big boy soon?”

“You think so?”

“I know so!” Dick responded with a little laugh, as he blew a raspberry on Kaden's neck. The boy squealed and buried his face in his papa’s chest, Dick hugging him possessively and smiling over at Jason.

“I’m sorry about this, and thanks for-” Jason began.

“Oh it was no trouble at all. My little Michael was just as nervous as his first sleep over,” Michael’s mother replied with a slight laugh. Jason smiled at the woman and shook her hand, then wrapping his arm around Dick’s waist and leading them back to the car, kissing Kaden’s forehead.

“Bye Kaden!” Micheal called. Kaden looked up over his papa’s shoulders and waved goodbye to his friend.

“Bye bye!”

* * * * *

The ride back to the apartment was quiet, Kaden having fallen asleep in the backseat. When the pulled up, Jason carefully lifted the little boy out of the car, who, still asleep, clung to his father. When they got inside, both he and Jason tucked him in, each of them kissing his forehead before retiring to the living room. Heaving sighs, the two men flopped down onto the couch, Jason wrapping his arm around Dick’s shoulders and pulling him close to his chest.

“Well, at the very least, we can still watch some cheesy movie,” Jason said, glancing down at Dick who was already fast asleep, tucked underneath the man’s arm. Jason smiled, leaning his head against Dick’s and taking in his scent. Minutes later, Kaden came out of his room, looking scared.

“Bad dream?” Jason whispered. Kaden nodded with a sad expression on his face. Jason just smiled and waved him over, and Kaden climbed up into his father’s lap. The boy fell asleep in minutes, leaving only Jason awake, looking over at his husband, and then down at his son.

“Love you both,” he whispered, kissing each of their heads before tilting his head back and closing his eyes, his arms wrapped possessively around the both of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On a side note, I'm thinking about getting back into Co-writing/Roleplaying. I used to do that a lot, but alas, I sort of just...stopped for whatever reason. If you're interested in co-oping/RPing with me, drop a message. Who knows, it might be fun, provided my skills are still up to par. xD


	13. A Question of Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaden is feeling a little down, so Jason and Dick sit down and talk to him to find out why.
> 
> Dick: 30  
> Jason: 28  
> Kaden: 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is a prompt I've been meaning to write for a long, long time, but I kept forgetting to. Well, here it is at long last! Enjoy! ^^
> 
> Prompts still open, I'll get to them when I can. Haven't really felt in the mood lately, but I'm always open to ideas. ^^ I got a paintball one coming up I think you'll all enjoy as soon as I figure out what to do with it, lol. xD

Dick sighed and wiped his brow as he pulled himself up off of the living room floor, head and chest dripping with sweat as he finished another work out. Jason was out dealing with his 'other work' again, leaving him and Kaden alone today. Kaden had spent a lot of his time in his room lately, and truth be told, Dick was a little worried for the boy. He made a decision to bring it up to Jason when he got back, but for the moment, he needed a shower.

Speaking of Jason, the man returned to the apartment just as soon as Dick padded out of the bathroom, pulling on a white tank top ans fastening the button on his jeans. Jason whistled as he looked Dick over, a feral grin o his face, and stepped closer to his husband.

“Looks like I missed the fun. Why don't you leave that unbuttoned for me?” Jason purred, hooking a finger in the hem of Dick's pants. Dick chuckled in amusement and stepped into his husband's space, wrapping an arm around the man's waist and pressing a soft kiss to the man's lips. As he pulled away, his arm moved up to the man's neck, massaging it a little as he leaned his forehead against Jason's.

“As much as I'd like to fool around a bit, we need to talk,” Dick said softly. Jason stopped everything and pulled away from Dick, frowning.

“Uh...what'd Ido now?” Jason asked, to which Dick just snickered in amusement and shook his head.

“No Jay, it's not about you,” Dick answered, looking down the hallway toward Kaden's room. “It's Kaden.” Jason's expression turned to concern then as he took a step around Dick to look down the hallway; the door was closed and not a peep could be heard from the room.

“What's wrong with him?” Jason asked, turning his attention back to Dick. Dick sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, his other hand coming to rest on his hip as he glanced back down the hallway again, before turning his attention back to Jason.

“I don't know. But if you've noticed, he's spent an awful lot of time in his room by himself lately,” Dick began. He turned toward the hallway and took a few steps toward it before turning back to Jason and continued “he hasn't been very talkative lately either. He's just not...well, him.” Jason crossed his arms over his chest and nodded to himself. He looked down the hallway and then turned to Dick.

“Well, let's go talk to him then, and find out what's going on,” he suggested. Dick simply nodded and followed him to the boy's room. Jason gave a soft rap against the cool wood of the door. A few moments later, came a tiny voice 'come in'. Jason pushed the door open and stepped inside with Dick behind him, where they found Kaden playing quietly with a toy train on the floor.

Jason sat down on the floor, crossed legged across from Kaden and Dick crouched down behind him, rubbing his shoulder soothingly.

“Hey baby bird. Papa and I wanna talk to you, okay?” Jason asked. Kaden looked up at them, not a trace of a smile on his face and nodded. Dick and Jason exchanged concerned glances, but turned back to Kaden. Jason ducked his head a bit to look into Kaden's eyes. “Hey, look at me please?” Kaden looked up at his father and Jason cleared his throat.

“Is something wrong, buddy? You've spent an awful lot of time in your room lately.”

“I'm fine, dad,” Kaden said softly. Jason frowned and cupped the boy's cheek, making him look at him.

“Kaden, c'mon. You know you can talk to us,” Dick said softly from behind Jason. Kaden looked over at his papa and sighed.

“Remember when you guys were telling me how babies were born?” Kaden asked. Dick and Jason exchanged glances again, the both of them sharing a knowing look; they knew where this was going. “Well...one of you isn't really my dad, huh?” Kaden asked in a sad tone. Jason heaved a sigh and enlaced his fingers with Dick's.

“No, Kaden. One of us isn't. That'd be me,” Dick said smoothly. Jason interrupted then, shaking his head.

“Kaden, look at me,” he said. Kaden looked up at his dad, and Jason rubbed the boy's shoulder soothingly. “It's true that Dickie isn't related to you by blood, but that doesn't matter.”

“But-”

“Your dad and I aren't related to grandpa Bruce, but we still consider him our dad,” Jason explained, hesitating for a moment on that last word; things were still a little...tense between him and Bruce, but he meant what he said. “And uncle Tim and Damian aren't our brothers by blood either, but they're still family. Do you understand?” Kaden gave a nod and stared down at the floor for a few moments.

“Tell me something. Does papa kiss your boo-boos when you get hurt?” Jason asked. Kaden nodded. “Does he read you bed time stories?” Again the boy nodded. “And who cooks you breakfast, because god knows daddy would burn down the entire apartment building,” Jason asked with a smile, glancing up at Dick who smiled back. Kaden giggled a bit.

“Papa.” 

“And every night, before you go to sleep, and every morning, before you go to school, does Papa tell you he loves you?” Jason asked. Kaden's smile brightened a little and he gave another nod. Jason smiled and ruffled the boy's hair playfully.

“Then see, baby bird? Dick might not be your father, but he's definitely your papa, right?”

“Yeah,” Kaden said cheerily, hopping up off the floor and hugging Dick. Dick chuckled in amusement and hugged the little boy tight.

“When you're older, we'll tell you about your mother, okay? But never doubt that Dick is your dad, okay? Because all those things we just talked about? Those are things dads do. Understand?”

“Yeah. Thanks daddy,” Kaden said cheerily, hugging both of his parents, with a tiny arm wrapped around each of their necks. Jason and Dick stood up to full height again, pulling Kaden up with them, each of them wrapping an arm around the boy.

“Now, why don't you get your shoes on, and daddy and I will take you to the park. How does that sound?” Dick asked with a smile. Kaden smiled brightly and hopped down from his parents arm, rushing out of the room to get his shoes.

“Yay! I love the park!” he called all the way down the hall. Jason and Dick watched the boy go, the both of them smiling now that their son was in better spirits. Dick turned and pressed a kiss to Jason's cheek.

“You handled that well,” Dick complimented. Jason just shrugged his shoulders.

“I just asked myself what Alfred would have said. His sagely wisdom seems to have rubbed off on me.”


	14. Unusual Propositions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roy comes to town for a rare boys night out and Roy proposes a unique proposition to Jason and Dick.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mykael and I knew at one point in time, we were going to have to explain how Jason and Dick's open marriage with Roy began. It wasn't that it took us a long time to figure out how believably to would begin, it was finding the time between MM and both of our lives to write it down. 
> 
> And because MM isn't looking like it's going to get fluffy anytime soon...enjoy the fluff.

Tonight was  'boys night out' for Roy, Dick, and Jason. The three of them didn't hang out as often as they used to or liked, what with vigilante work, daytime work, and raising their children now. Roy and Lian had come to Gotham for a visit and naturally, Kaden and Lian got along like siblings. When they weren't playing and having fun, they were arguing and fighting with each other; it was both humorous and frustrating at the same time. For the duration of their stay, Roy and Lian were holing up in one of Jason's nicer safe houses in Uptown Gotham. Roy had a place in Gotham, but Jason had insisted, on the grounds that Roy's place was tiny and probably cluttered; the man really loved to construct new - and not always safe - things in his spare time. 

For tonight, however, the children and Star were at the Manor with Alfred, Damian and Bruce. Roy, Jason and Dick were gathered in the dining room at the couple's apartment, a Royal Rummy mat spread out on the table, beers and chili dogs marking their places. Different varieties of chips, homemade chili dogs, sides for the dogs and other appetizers were spread on the kitchen island within easy reach while they played. 

Dick took out a vintage poker chip caddy full of chips, opened it and gave Jason two rows, Roy two rows and himself two rows before he screwed the top back on and put it away. He took a bite of his chili dog while distributing his chips on the board. 

"How's life in Star City, Roy?" he inquired as he finished and took a swig of beer.

"Oh, you know, same old. Same old," Roy replied with a wave of his hand as he distributed his chips with the other.

"Somehow I think there's a story behind that wave," Jason quipped as he took a big bite out of his chili dog and started plonking down his chips. Roy sighed and leaned back in his chair. 

"Well, Lian has taken to scaring my dates off." Jason started snickering over his beer at this. "It's not funny, Jay! She's _seven_! My seven year old shouldn't be controlling my dating life! I haven't had sex in a month thanks to that brat!" At this, Jason lost his self-control and started laughing. Roy picked up a doll from the floor that Lian had left and pitched it at Jason, hitting him square in head.

"Ow!"

"Shows you, Jay," Dick said while shaking his head, snickering at his husband, and shuffling the cards. "We found out that the only way to have time to ourselves for anything is to send Kaden to Gramps' house. He has the most inconvenient timing." Roy raised an eyebrow. Jason snorts as he takes another swig of his beer and catches his cards as Dick passes them out. 

"The worst damn timing. Last week, I was just about to cum and Kaden just waltzed on in complaining of a stomachache and then he threw up...on Dick."

"Thanks for reminding me, Jay. I had finally scrubbed that memory out of short-term," Dick grumbled while Roy made a disgusted face. "By the way, hand is for sale." Roy looked at his hand. He had a weak hand, but he had an Ace of Diamonds and the Queen of Hearts so he couldn't buy it.

"One chip, over here, Goldie." Dick rolled his eyes at the nickname, but handed the hand to his husband and snatched the chip from him, putting Jason's old hand into the spot labeled "pot." 

"All right, who has the two of clubs?" Roy asked. Jason looked up and looked at the pile on the board. "Okay then, two of diamonds?"  
Dick gave a shout of glee and put down the two and three of diamonds. Jason put down the four and Roy put down the four of clubs. Play continued for some time when Roy set down the Queen of Hearts, collected his loot and said, "Have you guys ever done any of your childhood fantasies?" The two looked at each other with confusion.

"Sure we have. What are you getting at, Harper?" Jason asked, blue eyes meeting Roy's emerald green, as he laid down the king and collected his chips. Roy glanced back down at his cards, briefly, before his eyes darted back up in Dick and Jason's general direction.

"Oh, no reason," he said innocently, running his finger over the top of his cards. He glanced back up at them and smirked slightly, giving a slight laugh as Dick pulled out the ace, and snatched both chip piles while Jason groaned. Of course Dick would have the one card with two chip piles.

"Just wondering something," he said again after a moment's pause.

"Yeah, and what's that?" Dick asked, sipping his beer, casually tossing out the two of spades.

"You guys ever thought about having a threeway?" he asked casually, dropping the three on top. Dick coughed, nearly spitting beer all over the table at the question. Jason gave him a few good pats on the back to get the poor guy breathing again, his eyes trained on Roy with a look somewhere between amusement and surprise.

"Would you mind repeating that?" he asked with a laugh, putting the three of hearts on top of Roy's three of spades. Roy looked up from his cards again and gave a shrug, fighting not to laugh at Dick who had only just regained his composure, or most of it if you ignored the occasional cough and glare he shot in Roy's direction

"A threeway. You guys ever-"

"Yes, all the time. Dick and I go out and grab random strangers off the street to screw around with," Jason joked with a shit-eating grin, earning a slap on the back of his head from Dick. Roy snorted with suppressed laughter, then heaved a sigh and set his cards down, face down and shifted a bit in his chair.

"Seriously though, have you guys ever thought about it? Like, at all?" Roy asked a little more genuinely. Dick and Jason shared a look before their eyes fell back onto their auburn haired friend. Jason shifted a bit, setting his cards aside. He gave a shrug of his shoulders, then a nod.

"Yeah, sure," he drawled a bit, eying his friend with a critical look. "You uh...asking us to-"

"Uh, maybe? Not because of the lack of sex in my life, but just a curiosity of mine," Roy asked with a slight smirk. Dick and Jason shared another look and Roy suddenly felt very awkward as the room descended into silence. Roy huffed a little, rubbing the back of his neck nervously as he picked his cards back up. 

"Actually, why don't we just forget it for now and finish the game?" Jason and Dick flashed smiles toward their closest friend and the game went on. The awkward atmosphere didn't last long however; soon enough they were back to joking and firing jabs and taunts at each other, almost as if the previous conversation hadn't happened.

._._._.

A couple of hours later Alfred dropped the kids off at the apartment, and Roy and Lian took off for the night. Jason and Dick tucked Kaden into bed after reading a bedtime story, and then made their way to their own bedroom. Jason, wearing nothing but red pajama bottoms, flopped down onto the bed with a tired sigh.Dick - who decided to wear an old Titans shirt and blue bottoms - closed the door behind him and rubbed the back of his neck, a thoughtful expression on his face, prompting Jason to sit up and shoot him a quizzical look.

"Dick? Something bothering you?" Jason asked. Dick looked up at the man and flashed a small smile. He was silent for a moment as he gathered his thoughts.

"Well, maybe," he said, padding into the room a little. Jason shifted a bit, sitting cross-legged on the bed while he waited for Dick to elaborate. 

"I was just thinking about what Roy said earlier," Dick went on, pausing as his ocean blue eyes met cornflower blue. Jason blinked, remaining silent as he still waited for Dick to elaborate just a little bit more. That was until realization donned on him and he grinned like the devil from ear to ear.

"No shit. Goldie has a threeway fantasy!" Jason said out loud with a laugh, his tone surprised, yet teasing. Dick flushed crimson and glared at the man, moving to the end of the bed and shushing him.

"Keep it down! You'll wake Kaden up...and don't call me Goldie! You know how much I hate that!" Dick snapped, glaring at him. Dick huffed in annoyance as he waited for Jason to get over his giggles. It took a minute before Jason sat back up again and composed himself, wearing a shit-eating grin.

"Sorry, but that's just....wow, Dickie-bird is naughtier than he seems," Jason teased again, silenced by a well placed glare.

"Forget I said anything."

"No, no. I want to talk about this, Dick. I want to know your thoughts about this," Jason replied quickly, straightening up and scooting closer to Dick, letting him know he had his full attention. Dick eyed him suspiciously for a few moments, then sighed lightly, running a hand through his raven hair.

"Maybe we should take him up on it. I mean, before we were married and even now I hear you get off to the idea of me and Roy having sex with you in the shower," Dick said honestly which caused Jason's cheeks to flush a bright pink. "And don't tell me you don't because I have ears and you are in the shower," Dick added causing Jason to flush a dark red, "It can be rather sexy."

"I...I am not loud!" Jason stuttered, rearing back flustered.  
Dick chuckled and sat next to his flustered husband, "You are." Jason's mouth opened and closed. He settled for frowning, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You're being rather direct, aren't you?" he asked curiously. Dick smirked and shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, to be fair, you did ask." Jason rolled his eyes but gave a curt nod, conceding his point.

"Alright, fair enough," he replied. He tucked his head into the crook of Dick's shoulder and sighed.

"I didn't think I was loud," he mumbled, a bit embarrassed. Dick chuckled softly, wrapping his arms around the man he had committed himself to life, pulling them down onto the bed.

"Only loud enough for me, babe." Dick smiled softly, curling a finger under Jason's chin and lifting his head up to kiss him softly on the lips. Jason moaned softly, cornflower eyes half-hidden by lashes so thick they rivaled a girl's.

"Mmmm, so are you saying no to Roy's offer then?" Dick moved back, looked at him before he propped himself on his left elbow.

"I think," he started, shifting slightly to get comfortable, "if you are comfortable with the idea, then I am as well. I know he's being serious. He didn't offer it to hurt us or break our marriage apart. He has too much to lose. We both dated him in our pasts - me in my Titan days and you when you first came here - so we both know him well. He's..." Dick drifts off, looking for the right word.<

"Safe." Jason supplies. Dick bobs his head and looks down, inspecting the fingers of his right hand. Jason captures them with his left hand and weaves his fingers with Dick's, the warm metal of Jason's wedding ring bringing Dick's attention back to how close Jason was to him. Jason slid himself until he was flush against Dick, Dick's head flush with his shoulder.

"Then, how about we call him tomorrow and talk to him? I'd say tonight, but I'm fallin' asleep talkin' to ya." Dick snickered; Jason always regressed to his Crime Alley accent when he was tired. 

"All right. Tomorrow. Love you."

"Mph. Love ya too."


	15. Unusual Propositions Part Two [nsfw]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick slammed Roy into the wall, going straight for the redhead's sensitive ears while his hands attacked the redhead's nipples, teasing him mercilessly through his tank top. This was the fifth time this month the three were meeting up, and it only seemed they were going to be meeting up more - not that any of them cared.  
> "Haven't. Seen. You. In. Ever," Dick growled, punctuating each with a nip to his ears.  
> "You – ngh –saw me –  mmm – four days – ahhh – ago," Roy replied. He heard Jason walk into the master bedroom and moaned loudly as he walked passed. God, he loved it when Jason wore those tight black jeans; they framed his ass perfectly. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long, long ago, many moons ago, Mykael and I decided Unusual Props was going to be divided into two parts: the first part being the Dick and Jason mulling over the idea of sex with Roy and the next being everything up to making their marriage an open marriage with Roy.

The next day, Jason tapped the rubber heel of his shoe on one of the steel posts of their large balcony, smoking a cigarette. The fingers of his other hand were tapping rapidly on the railing.

"Little Wing, you look like you're about to face the electric chair. Relax," Dick chided softly, padding out barefoot onto the balcony beside Jason. He took the cigarette from him and snuffed it out on the ash tray. 

"Hey! I was –" Jason cried out in protest, reaching after the cigarette, glaring at Dick.

"That's your _fifth_ one," Dick interrupted. Jason groaned and tugged on his hair. He swore he was getting a handle on those cigarettes. He didn't need Kaden picking up on that too. He was all ready swearing like a sailor. 

Dick smiled softly and rubbed Jason's upper arms supportively. Roy was due to come over in a few minutes to talk about last night's proposition and they all were undoubtedly nervous. They'd already been over this and decided they were okay with it, but it was still... _new_. Uncharted territory. It was a big step, letting a third person into their bed. Roy wasn't just any person though, but that still didn't make it any less nerve wracking. Maybe if they were young and not married, it'd be easier. Life is always easier when you're young and dumb.

"I  know we already went over this, Dickie, and I'm still...up for it, but what if we can't handle it?" Jason asked, glancing over at Dick. Dick heaved a sigh and rubbed the man's back soothingly. He leaned against the railing beside his husband and pressed a kiss to his temple. He couldn't lie; the same kind of thoughts were going through his own head, despite the very long and deep conversation they'd had about it previously.

"We'll be fine, Jaybird. If something happens, we'll deal with it together. We'll work it out like we always do," Dick answered, flashing the man a smile. Jason tried to frown at what he believed to be a _very_ lame answer, but when Dick Grayson smiled like that...well, it was hard not to smile too. As he leaned in for a kiss, they were interrupted by a knock on the door. The two of them padded from the balcony, into the living room and out to the front door. Jason pulled the door open and there stood Roy with a six pack of beer and a take out bag. He wiggled his eyebrows as he lifted them.

"Sorry I'm late. Figured I'd grab a few things to help set the 'mood'," Roy said with a cocky smirk. Jason rolled his eyes, unable to hide the grin on his face as he let the man in.

"Chinese food and beer? That's going to set the mood?" Jason asked. The two of them followed Roy into the kitchen and Dick snickered behind him. Roy let out a bark of laughter as he laid the food out on the table, glancing at the two of them over his shoulder.

"Hell yeah! Can't do the deed on an empty stomach!" Roy said with a wink and a grin. Jason's hand went to his forehead in exasperation at the man's reply, and Dick let out a laugh.

"'Do the deed'? What are we, teenagers again?" he asked, earning another laugh from Roy. He finished setting the table, then waved the couple over, seating himself and making up a plate. Dick and Jason exchanged a glance, then joined the redhead, giving a warm smile.

"Roy, you seem awfully cool about this," Dick pointed out. Jason glanced over at Dick as he grabbed a stick of teriyaki steak. Roy snorted in amusement, chomping away on a piece of teriyaki chicken. He glanced up at Dick, raising a finger as he finished chewing, then grinned from ear-to-ear.

"You kidding? I'm nervous as shit," Roy replied, giving a little laugh as he sipped his beer. "I feel like a goddamn virgin all over again," he added, eliciting a laugh from Jason, who nearly choked on his beer. Dick snorted in amusement as he clapped Jason on the back to help him breathe again.

"How about we establish some, uh, ground rules?" Dick suggested. Jason muttered his assent and Roy nodded.

"Like?" Roy replied, swigging another drink, then leaned back in the chair.

"Well, all parties must always consent to sex and whatever else is being brought in whether it's toys, bondage, games..."

"No other people," Jason interjected sternly. He was possessive; adding Roy was going to cause some bumps, but it'll probably smooth over. Another person? World War III would commence. 

"No children if this becomes a regular thing," Roy adds. Dick and Jason hum in agreement. "No need for either of them to walk in on something that can be disturbing to them." All three had their own kinks and there was no need for either Kaden nor Lian to walk in on that. 

"And above all, safety first. If one of us doesn't feel safe, we each have a verbal and non-verbal cue," Dick added. They all had trauma that could sneak up at the worst of times. Both Roy and Jason nodded in agreement, silence settling between the three of them.

"Are you _sure_ you guys are okay with this?" Roy finally asked as he pushed his plate away. He glanced back and forth between the two of them; they might have invited him here and given him the go ahead, but he needed to make sure they were still okay. The last thing he wanted to do was ruin their relationship. Dick and Jason exchanged a glance, then Jason smirked a little, patting Roy's shoulder.

"Roy, do you honestly think you'd be here if we – _if I_ – weren't?" Jason quipped. Roy smiled at that. Dick looked at Jason, giving him a look to continue. Jason looked back at Roy and slid out of his chair.

"I think," Jason continued, voice going down to that _oh so sexy, just fuck me now_ voice, prowling over to Roy, "you need to _relax_." He turned Roy's chair toward him and settled himself on top. One arm dangled over Roy's shoulder while the other busied itself in Roy's thick, auburn tresses.

"You are making it _very hard_ to concentrate, Jaybird," Roy whispered, a seductive smirk playing across his face, bottle green eyes meeting cornflower blues.

"That's the point," Jason replied huskily before he leaned in and kissed him gently. Dick moaned from where he sat watching, heel tapping from trying not to join in. If there was one thing that turned Dick on, it was Jason being dominant yet gentle. 

Roy kissed back eagerly, his hands settling on Jason's hips, thumbs stroking the skin just beneath his shirt. Roy groaned at the light tug at his hair, making him grin into the kiss. He parted from Jason, glancing around him to Dick and giving the man a little smirk.

"Well? You gonna join us, or just watch, ya filthy little voyeur?" Roy teased. Jason looked over his shoulder and flashed Dick a wicked grin.

"Like what you see, Dickie?" Jason asked, licking his lips seductively. Dick chuckled in amusement, resting his chin on his hand as he watched the two of them.

"Oh, don't mind me. I'm just _undressing_ the both of you with my eyes," Dick replied, to which Roy and Jason gave a slight shiver. Jason leaned down and captured Roy's lips again, drawing out a little moan. Dick bit his lip as he watched Roy slowly grind his hips up against Jason's ass. "And I gotta say...it's not a bad show." Dick's resolve broke when a rather sultry moan escaped from Jason's lips, watching as Roy's hands disappeared, up underneath his shirt. Dick pushed himself from his chair and joined the two, grabbing the hem of Jason's shirt and pulling it up, off over his head and tossing it to the floor. His hands found their way to Jason's shoulders, massaging them lightly while he pressed feather light kisses to the man's jaw and neck. His and Roy's eyes met as his hand found Roy's on Jason's chest and Jason gave another, slightly broken moan, practically at the mercy of these two.

"Who needs to relax now, Jaybird?" Dick whispered in the man's ear, smiling against his skin as he nipped at an earlobe. Jason bit his bottom lip as he felt one of Roy's hands squeeze his ass. He opened one eye, and sure enough that redheaded bastard was grinning like the devil. Jason tried to glare at him, one that held no real anger, but then Dick nibbled at the junction where neck met shoulder. He gasped, biting his lip hard to suppress the moan that threatened to escape from his throat. _Goddamn that bastard for knowing all his buttons._ Jason huffed, finding himself at the mercy of both Dick and Roy's ministrations. He regained some of his composure and crushed his lips to Roy's, moaning into the kiss as Dick bit down on his shoulder. He felt Dick's hands wandering down his torso, lower, toward his pants line, felt the button on his jeans pop. His excitement started rising when he felt Roy's hands in the hem of his jeans, felt them slowly sliding down his thighs and –

Jason's phone rang, bringing everything to a staggering halt. Dick pulled away from him to look at that damn phone in disgust; Jason groaned loudly, worked up and frustrated, and Roy just chuckled in amusement into Jason's shoulder as he placed a quick kiss on Jason's collarbone. Dick placed an open mouth kiss on Jason's neck before walking over and picking up the phone.

"Hey Alfred, it's Dick. What's up?" he asked casually, glancing over his shoulder at Jason and Roy. Jason had re-done the button on his jeans and had flopped down into the chair beside Roy, while the latter fixed his hair.

"Master Dick, it would seem Master Kaden has come down with a case of the stomach flu," he heard Alfred say, followed by Kaden's crying in the background, "and he's missing his parents."

"Where's Daddy? Papa? I wanna go home," Dick heard his son cry in the background. Dick sympathized with him immediately; the stomach flu was awful. He glanced back at Jason who was already on his feet and looking tense. He flashed a knowing smile; Jason must've heard Kaden calling for him.

"Alright, thanks Alfred, we'll be there shortly to get him," Dick replied, hanging up the phone.

"Is he alright?" Jason asked immediately. Dick chuckled in amusement and gave a curt nod.

"He's got a stomach bug and he's missing home, but otherwise, he's fine." He turned to Roy and flashed a regretful smile, but the man was already up and getting ready to head out.

"Don't worry about it, I get it. Kids. Maybe next time," Roy replied, heading for the door. He turned and flashed the two of them a grin. "But that was a great introduction. Next month?" The two of them nodded and watched Roy leave. Jason picked up his shirt and pulled it back on, making for the door with Dick behind him.

"Damn that kid. He's got the most terrible timing," Jason muttered as he tried to make himself more comfortable. 

Dick chuckled and kissed him. "If you keep saying that, he's going to turn into a teenager with terrible timing. Don't tempt God. Let's go get our Little Wing."

._._._.

Dick, Jason and Roy sat on the living room couch on Roy's apartment the next month, kicking back, playing video games and drinking beer. It was a nice way to unwind. Kaden was staying at the Manor with Bruce and Alfred while Damian was away on a business trip for Wayne Enterprises. Tim was visiting the Manor and likely keeping Kaden very well occupied – Kaden loved his uncle Timmy. Lian, on the other hand, was staying with Oliver and Dinah. The seven (seven and three quarters according to the little girl) was excited to visit with her "Grampy" and "Auntie D" (Dinah taught her those). The three of them had the apartment all to themselves, with no kids whatsoever.

The three were currently playing an intense game of Left 4 Dead 2 on Hard Mode, wading through hordes of zombies from one safe zone to the next. Roy accidentally triggered the Witch and all hell had broken loose.

"Jay! Jay! Boomer! Behind you!" Roy called, mashing his controller in a desperate attempt to get the waves of Infected off of him. Jason leaned for the side, licking his lips as he mashed his own controller to take out a Jokey that had climbed onto Dick's character. Dick frantically moved the analogue stick to move his character out of range of a Boomer Bile attack.

"Roy, Spitter! Spitter!" Dick called, aiming a sniper rifle at a Smoker to the left. Jason moved his character in between him and the hordes of undead, mowing them down with a chainsaw, while Roy broke free and popped a medpac, before joining the other two and taking down the last few of the Special Infected.

"Woo! Yeah! We're bad asses!" Jason said with a laugh, giving Roy and Dick each a high five as they made it into the final safe zone. The three of them breathed a sigh of relief as they placed their controllers down on the table and reclined on the couch. Jason heaved a sigh and closed his eyes, putting his hands behind his head and propping his feet up on the table.

"Yep. I do make a pretty awesome team," he joked, cracking one eye open at Dick as the man swatted his feet off of the coffee table.

"Hey, remind me who saved your ass from that Smoker earlier?" Roy asked with a smug grin, crossing his arms over his chest.

"And who wrestled you from the death grip of a Charger?" Jason replied, to which Dick snorted in amusement.

"And who saved both your asses when you triggered the Witch?" he asked with a laugh. The other two chuckled in amusement and then Roy took a sip of his beer, turning off the system.

"But video games aren't exactly why we came here," Dick said with a little smirk, glancing over at Jason. Jason grinned and gave a slight nod. Roy sat upright, face serious.

"Oh, I don't like that. What're you two plotting?" he asked, unable to hold the serious look on his face as a smirk tugged at the corners of his lips. Dick crawled across the couch – over Jason – over to Roy and straddled his lap. "On second thought, don't tell me, surprise me," Roy said, smirk turning into a grin as he looked up at Dick and licked his lips. 

Dick threaded his fingers through Roy's short, auburn locks, his other hand coming to rest upon Roy's jaw. Dick then leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to Roy's lips, then another, and another before Roy's hand came up to cup the back of Dick's neck. Dick deepened the kiss, slipping his tongue into the redhead's mouth, Roy moaning into the kiss. When they parted, Roy looked over at Jason and grinned, tugging him closer and sealing his lips against Jason's. 

Dick took the opportunity to attack Roy's exposed neck, kissing, licking and nibbling on the tender flesh, pulling another delicious moan out of Roy. A gasp escaped the auburn haired man as Jason rubbed his erection through his jeans. He grinned at the man before stealing another kiss.

"That's for getting me all worked up last time. And so's this," Jason whispered, grinding his palm against the man's groin. Roy tilted his head back, lightly banging against the wall as he let loose a groan.

"Fuck Jaybird, I'm gonna cum in my pants if you – aah! – keep that up!" Roy managed to say, gasping as Jason gave a particularly tight squeeze. Dick, for his part, had peeled off his shirt, the piece discarded to the floor. Before things could proceed further, Jason placed a hand on Dick's chest and pushed him away from Roy. The two of them flashed the man a concerned look.

"Jay? Is something wrong?" Dick asked. Jason chuckled a bit and nodded in response.

"Oh yeah. The couch is nice and all for fucking, but it's just a _little_ small for three people last time I checked," he quipped, quirking an eyebrow. Roy and Dick laughed but nodded in agreement. Dick got to his feet and pulled Roy up with him. Jason followed behind the two of them as they retreated to the bedroom, all mindlessly touching each other, not wanting to stop.

The minute Jason stepped through the door, Dick shoved Roy onto the bed and straddled his hips once again, grinning down at the red haired man. Dick ran his hands up Roy's torso, up underneath his shirt before pushing it off, over his head and tossing it to the floor. Jason grabbed Dick's chin – pulling him away from his exploratory search on Roy's chest – and crushed their lips together in a heated kiss, settling on the bed beside him. Roy propped himself up on his elbows to watch, but Jason shoved him back down again, parting from Dick to lean down and kiss Roy. Roy gave a little gasp into the kiss when he felt a hand on his dick. He parted from Jason to find Dick's hand around the base of his cock, his pants and boxers pulled down part way and Dick grinning at him like the devil himself. Dick swiped his thumb over the head and Roy groaned, arching his back and falling back against the bed hard. The bed shifted and he opened his eyes to see Dick tugging his pants the rest of the way off with wild abandon, Jason stripping down behind Dick while he kissed and caressed the man's skin from behind. Soon, the three of them were naked – Dick between his legs and Jason behind Dick, marking up his shoulders.

"Fuck, you guys are _killing_ me," Roy groaned, arm over his eyes as he tried not to cum before things got started. He huffed, then reached over to his nightstand for condoms and lube, tossing them to Dick and Jason. Dick handed one to Jason and he rolled his onto his length, taking his time as his eyes were glued to Roy's. Roy gave a groan and scrubbed his face with his hands; these two would be the death of him. He gave a slight yelp when he felt something cold at his entrance and looked up to see Dick preparing him.

"We can't have that now, can we?" Dick teased, licking his lips. Roy groaned as more fingers were added, his fingers clutching at the sheets. He couldn't see what Jason was doing, but it didn't take an expert, when Dick let out a rather lewd moan.

"Good God, this is _so much better_ than in my head," Roy huffed out. 

"Oh, you think about screwing around with us – aah – a lot?" Dick asked with a seductive grin, gasped when Jason's fingers struck that sweet bundle of nerves inside him. Before Roy could find the words to formulate a response, he felt Dick pushing into him. He gave a low groan, deep in his throat, arm draped over his eyes as he felt Dick pushing deep into him. All movement ceased when Dick was buried to the hilt and then Jason pushed forward, one arm wrapped around Dick's waist an the other around his shoulders.

"Fuck," Jason groaned, resting his head against Dick's shoulder as he entered him. The room was quiet, save for the sound of heavy breathing, and then Dick started to move slowly inside Roy.

Silence was filled with gasps and groans, followed by the sound of skin slapping skin as their thrusts grew stronger, harder, faster. Names and curses echoed off of the walls and Dick leaned heavily over Roy, his hands on the bed on either side of the redhead as he drove his cock into him deeper and harder. Roy damn near shouted, arms and legs wrapping around Dick as the man fucked into him hard, nailing his prostate as Jason slammed forward into Dick. One of Jason's hands gripped Dick's shoulder and the other his hip as he slammed into Dick, shoving Dick against Roy in a perfect rhythm.

Grunts and groans devolved into shouting and pleading, until finally, one after another, they hit their orgasms, basking in the afterglow. Dick collapsed on top of Roy, and Jason leaned heavily against Dick's back, hands caressing Dick's sides. Heavy breathing replaced the sounds of sex and soon, the three pulled away from each other and all but collapsed onto the bed, side by side. Condoms discarded and messed cleaned up, there they lay, content and exhausted, but feeling _so fucking good._

"Goddamn," Roy breathed, grinning at Dick and Jason, hand resting on his chest, "that may have been the best sex I've ever had." Dick chuckled in amusement and leaned over for a gentle kiss, his lips brushing softly against Roy's. He turned and shared a kiss with Jason.

"Not gonna argue with that, right, Dickie?" Jason asked with a smug grin. Dick laughed weakly and gave a nod, rolling over on his side and cuddling against Roy. Roy glanced down at him and wrapped an arm around him.

"Mhm. No words. Too tired. Cuddle. Jay, get over here," Dick murmured weakly, trying to sound stern but figuring that was a complete waste of energy. Jason chuckled in amusement and rolled on his side, wrapping his arms around Dick's waist and cuddling up against him. He pressed a kiss to one of Dick's marked up shoulders and sighed contentedly.

"Whatever you say, babe."

._._._.

Dick slammed Roy into the wall, going straight for the redhead's sensitive ears while his hands attacked the redhead's nipples, teasing him mercilessly through his tank top. This was the fifth time this month the three were meeting up, and it only seemed they were going to be meeting up more - not that any of them cared.

"Haven't. Seen. You. In. Ever," Dick growled, punctuating each with a nip to his ears.

"You – ngh –saw me –  mmm – four days – ahhh – ago," Roy replied. He heard Jason walk into the master bedroom and moaned loudly as he walked passed. God, he loved it when Jason wore those tight black jeans; they framed his ass perfectly. 

"Enjoying the view, Roy?" Jason smirked as Roy babbled something incoherent; Dick was laving attention behind his right ear – it was no surprise he was a babbling mess. Jason shucked off his shoes at the foot of his and Dick's bed before he came to Roy's left side and whispered into his ear, "You like what Dickie is doing?" 

Roy's bottle green eyes locked onto Jason's cornflower ones as Jason stepped back to look at him. Roy's hand struck out, grabbed Jason's thick, black hair and dragged his face back to his. 

"Nnngh, yeeeees. But, you know what I –," he hissed as Dick bit his neck, "I'd like more?"

"Name it, sweetheart."

"Less clothes and more fucking," Roy growled, then mewled as Dick ran his fingers up his sides. 

"Mmm, a Roy sandwich. I think I like that. Don't you, Dickie?" Jason purred, flashing the man a seductive grin. Dick chuckled softly as Jason leaned down to steal a kiss.

"Mm, I do like the sound of that, Jaybird," Dick replied, turning to Roy and licking his lips. Roy grinned at the two of them, his arms wrapping around Dick and squeezing his ass.

"God _damn_ , I must've died and gone to heaven," Roy replied, glancing back and forth between Dick and Jason. Dick gave a feral grin to Roy before shoving his tank top up and off over his head, Jason pinning Roy's wrists against the wall, up above his head. He leaned in and pressed his lips against Roy's in a heated kiss that had the man moaning. Dick took the time to lick and nip at the man's collarbone, traveling down to his chest, taking one of his nipples between his teeth. 

Roy groaned into the kiss as a hand – Jason's – cupped his crotch. Jason rubbed his palm against Roy's clothed erection, grinning into the kiss as the man whimpered and writhed beneath him and Dick. Roy parted from the kiss, burying his face into the crook of Jason's neck as the man kept rubbing him through his jeans. "Jay...for fuck's sake – nngh, God – you gotta stop or – mmmm – I'm gonna cum in my pants." Jason chuckled in amusement, fingers carding through Roy's red hair. Dick swatted his hand away, however and shot him a playful look.

"Don't ruin it, Jaybird. We don't wanna exhaust him before the fun, do we?" Dick asked in a seductively playful tone. Jason chuckled in amusement, followed by a light moan as Roy bit his neck, teeth grazing against flesh. Jason felt Roy's fingertips slide down his back, to dip just beneath the waistline of his jeans. 

"Fuck," Jason moaned. Roy chuckled in amusement, the sound cut off at the sound of a zipper. He turned to Dick to see the man shoving his jeans and briefs down before taking his length down his throat, eyes looking up at him, sparkling with mischief. Roy let loose a low, broken moan, gasping, hands clutching at Dick's hair. His knees started to tremble as Dick started a torturously slow rhythm, tongue working along his length, teeth scraping lightly against his shaft in a combination that had his mind in shambles and his body heating up.

"He's good with his mouth, ain't he, Roy?" Jason whispered in the man's ear, nibbling at an ear lobe. A broken moan was his only reply, and Jason grinned widely as he reached down and caressed Dick's face. "Careful Dickie. That sinful mouth of yours is gonna spoil all _my_ fun," Jason purred. "Let me see your cock. Pull it out for me. I want to watch you touch yourself," Jason purred, thumb stroking over Dick's cheek. Dick moaned around Roy's shaft, eyes closing as he reached down and unzipped his jeans. He wondered if Jason had any idea what that husky, pleasure filled voice did to him. 

He parted from Roy, earning a disappointed whimper from the man, and peeled off his shirt, tossing it aside before he leaned back and took Roy back into his mouth.  He pushed his own jeans and briefs down and moaned as his hand found his cock and started pumping himself slowly, hand rubbing over the head of his dick on every upward stroke. Another shirt, Jason's shirt fell to the floor. Dick's eyes admired Jason's body as he worked his mouth around Roy. Roy had been reduced to a broken, moaning mess, hands tugging at Dick's hair and knees shaking.

"Dick, God _damn_ ," he breathed, followed by a light gasp. Jason unzipped his jeans and pushed them partway down along with his briefs and ground himself against Roy's hip while he kissed and nibbled at Roy's neck. Minutes passed but felt like hours as moans and groans echoed throughout the room. Dick kept Roy right on the edge, denying him release, and then suddenly, Jason put a stop to all of it.

"That's enough," Jason breathed. Dick pulled off of Roy with an obscene pop, and Roy whimpered at the loss. The two of them turned to Jason, confused. Jason flashed a feral grin as he turned and shoved Dick onto the bed. Dick yelped in surprise and then Jason was on top of him, kissing him, grinding against him, their erections grinding together in a sweet, delicious friction. Roy moved to stand behind Jason, pulling the man's jeans the rest of the way down, shoving his cock between the man's cheeks and thrusting against him. Jason moaned into the kiss, but he wasn't quite ready for this to end yet. 

He sat up and pulled Dick's jeans the rest of the way off, wordlessly and breathlessly motioning toward the night stand. Dick quickly fumbled through the drawer for the lube and tossed it to Jason. Jason popped the cap and tossed it back to Roy. Jason stood then and turned to Roy, pushing to man toward Dick. He stood behind Roy and whispered in his ear.

"Look at him Roy. Don't you want to fuck him?" Roy moaned lightly as he glanced back at Jason.

"You sure, Jaybird?" Jason just gave a nod and placed a quick kiss to Roy's shoulder. Roy groaned as he lubed himself up, still oversensitive from the _fantastic_ blow job Dick had just given him. He lay on top of Dick and shoved into him in one smooth motion.

Jason lubed himself up as well, then leaned heavily against Roy's back before he pushed himself inside Roy, hands dancing and caressing over every bit of skin he could reach. There was stillness and silence, save for the sound of heavy breathing. Then Jason started moving; he set the pace, thrusting roughly into Roy, who in turned fucked into Dick. 

It turned heated quickly, hands frantically grasping and groping, broken moans and near-sobs filling the room as the sound of skin slapping skin grew louder. Jason reached around Roy and grabbed Dick's cock in a rough grip, pumping him frantically, tearing a broken moan from the acrobat. Dick screamed as his orgasm hit like a ton of bricks, cum spraying across his chest and stomach, coating Jason's hand as he writhed on the bed beneath Roy. Roy gave a broken moan, a near sob as he slammed into Dick one final time before he came. Jason followed moments later; with one hand on Roy's shoulder and the other on the man's hip, his grip tightened almost bruisingly hard. He as he cried and slammed into Roy one final time and came, _hard._

Jason and Roy collapsed onto Dick in a tangled, post-orgasmic mess of limbs. Heavy panting filled the room as they lay there, unmoving, exhausted. Roy's fingers gently patted Dick's chest and shoulders and Dick's fingers caressed Roy's hair affectionately. After a time – once they'd gathered the energy, the three of them pulled apart – cleaning themselves up and falling onto the bed.

"That..." Roy started between breaths, glancing back and forth between Dick and Jason who lay on either side of him. He grinned widely. " _That_ was _the best_ sex I've _ever_ had....in my _entire_ life." Dick and Jason gave a breathless chuckle and simply nodded in agreement. Words were still proving to be a problem for the two of them as they tried to catch their breaths. Dick silently scooted closer to Roy and wrapped his arms around him, resting his head on Roy's chest. Jason lay his head on Roy's shoulder and Roy wrapped his arms around the both of them as exhaustion took hold. They fell asleep content in each other's arms, not caring for the outside world.

._._._.

Dick and Jason sat on their couch, side by side, their fingers interlaced, waiting for Roy. They had quite a bit to discuss, namely the increasing amount of time they'd been spending with one another. It had started innocently enough, once or twice a month, but they were a year in and were meeting now two or three times a week. The relationship was, frankly, starting to interfere with them being present with Kaden. The two's social schedule was starting to revolve _more_ around Roy, and _less_ around Kaden; _that_ was a problem.

Three loud raps at the door took them out of their reverie. Jason gave Dick a tense smile and kissed his temple gently, before standing up and walking to the door, footsteps quiet on the wooden floors. Jason grasped the plain chrome handle, pushing down and opening the wooden door, revealing the other love of his life – Roy. He wouldn't have admitted that a year ago, but he was deeply in love with that crazy redhead. Jason knew Dick felt the same.

"Hey, come on in," Jason said, opening the door further to let the man in, "Do you want anything to eat or drink?"

"Just some water, Jaybird," Roy responded, shrugging off his jean jacket and hanging it on one of the pegs by the door before going to sit on the couch. Jason nodded and padded into the kitchen as Roy headed into the living room. Roy and Dick exchanged nervous smiles, but Dick patted the spot next to him, making him feel welcome. Roy sat next to him and bumped into him with his shoulder teasingly, easing the tension. Dick returned the bump and pressed his knee into Roy's comfortingly.  Jason came back into the living room a moment later carrying, a glass of water in hand, giving it to Roy. Roy flashed a smile, raising his glass in thanks and took a sip. He placed the glass down, patting the other side. Jason sat next to him and stared at the ground. The quiet stretched for a long few minutes before Dick cleared his throat to get Roy and Jason's attention.

"Listen, Roy. Jason and I have been talking about us and this...this thing we have going," Dick began. He rubbed the back of his neck, then glanced over at Jason who just gave a nod. Dick turned his attention back on Roy and reached for his hand, interlacing their fingers together. "It's become...complicated. We've talked and it's become apparent that this isn't just about sex for us anymore. There are," he paused to gather his courage, "there are feelings involved." 

Roy's eyes went wide momentarily, then he was silent for a time, absently squeezing Dick's fingers as he thought carefully. He looked over at Jason who sat beside him with a passive expression -- unreadable. Roy turned back to Dick and bit his lip, before he cleared his throat a few times and finally found his voice.

"Honestly? I think that, um..." Roy hesitated for a moment, his face flushing pink. Jason grinned like the devil, prepared to crack a joke, but Dick silenced him with a glare; now was not the time for jokes. Roy took a deep breath and continued, albeit quickly. "I think I have feelings for both of you. I think, no, _I know_ , that I'm in love with the two of you." He shrunk back a little into the couch, embarrassed. 

Dick and Jason shared a look, then Dick smiled at Roy. He gave Roy's fingers a gentle squeeze and Jason squeezed Roy's shoulder, causing Roy to look up into those beautiful cornflower blue eyes. 

"That's good to hear," he said, clearing his throat and sitting up straight for what he had to say next, "because Dick and I had a long, long discussion about all this." He could see, even feel Roy tense up a bit; he looked so nervous. "And we love you too." 

Roy let out a breath that he didn't even know he'd been holding; then Jason's words registered in his mind. He looked back and forth between Dick and Jason, bottle green eyes wide.

"What? _Really_?" he asked, arching an auburn brow.

"Yes, Roy, really. I. Love. You," Dick enunciated each word, kissing each cheek as he said them. Roy's face phased between shock, confusion, wonder then full out glee before he pounced the Dick and hugged him tightly. He let Dick go only to grab Jason and add him to the hug as well.

"Seriously? You aren't pullin' my leg?" Roy asked, pulling back after a few minutes.

"Yes, we're serious," Jason said, rubbing his ribs, "Do you have to hug so tightly?" Roy gave him that look that meant 'yes' and to not knock his hugs.

Dick nodded, "We'd wanted to ask if you'd be open to being with us in a relationship –"

"A three way of sorts," Jason added.

"Are you sure? I mean, this is _huge_. The two of you are married. Adding a third person could –"

"Rip our marriage apart?" Jason filled in. "We talked about it. Taking you out of the dynamic would at this point. You fill in the gaps where we lack when you're here. We worry incessantly about you and Lian when you don't call to the point we have to meet. It's actually interfering with our ability to parent Kaden." Jason sighed sadly at that and looked toward Kaden's door. He was at the Manor with his Uncle Tim, playing pretend Batman. Dick reached across Roy and rubbed his husband's knee reassuringly. 

"What he's saying is the illicit affair is fun and all, but Bruce is starting to sniff around," Dick filled in.

Roy chuckled, "So are Oliver and Dinah. They insist I bring whatever lady I'm banging to the penthouse to meet them." The three of them laughed. "I've also had the same issues with Lian. Too busy thinking about you two to parent. She's  gotten away with shit she normally doesn't get away with." 

"Mm, so Roytoy? Ready to become our boyfriend?" Jason asked seductively.

"Oh, I think I am more than ready, Jaybird," Roy replied in the same seductive voice, eyes half-lidded as his face came close to Jason's. 

"Uh, before you two get all hot and sweaty, don't you think we should discuss what this new marriage will entail?" Dick piped in.

Jason sighed and looked at his husband, "How about all of the same rules for sex except daily calls, and we have dinners or cuddle time once a week somewhere? We have the zeta tubes; we might as well use them." Dick and Roy nodded in agreement.

"Good, because I'm going back to what I was about to do – properly welcoming Roy into our family." Roy smiled, before accepting the kiss. 

 

 


	16. Birthday Surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Today is Dick's birthday, and Kaden has a surprise for his papa.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> March 20th, Dick's birthday. Totally had to do something. Wasn't sure what, so I just started writing and went with it. x) Enjoy :D
> 
> Dick - 31  
> Jason - 28  
> Kaden - 6

Kaden padded out of his bedroom in his one-piece superman pajamas. Everyone was still asleep, which meant his parents had both pulled late nights last night. Kaden grabbed a chair and dragged it across the kitchen toward the kitchen counter. With a little grunt, he pulled himself up onto it and stood on it, reaching into the cabinet for a box of cereal.

Kaden grabbed a bowl too, then shuffled back across the kitchen to the table, placing the bowl on the table and pouring some cereal into it. When that was done, he dragged the chair back to the table then went into the fridge for some milk, pouring it on the cereal. He grabbed a clean glass sitting on the counter and poured some orange juice and grabbed a spoon and found a tray and placed everything on it. He smiled happily as he made his way toward his parents’ bedroom.

The door was partially open so he pushed it the rest of the way open with his elbow, tray in hand and shuffled toward his parents’ bed. There they both were, fast asleep and oblivious to the world around them. He stifled a giggle and moved toward the bed, carefully placing the tray on the nightstand beside his papa. He then climbed up, grunting as he pulled himself up and crawled up between his parents.

“Papa. Papa, wake up!” Kaden said softly, shaking Dick awake. Dick groaned and shifted slightly, but didn’t wake. So Kaden pushed him a little harder “papa, wake up!” Dick groaned again then finally opened his eyes, shifting a bit to look at Kaden.

“Mmm. Morning little wing. What’s up?” Dick asked. Kaden smiled brightly and crawled off of the bed again. Curious, Dick sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Kaden rounded the bed for the nightstand and grabbed the tray, moving it into his papa’s lap.

“Huh? What’s this?” Dick asked with a smile, quirking an eyebrow.

“Happy birthday papa!” Kaden said cheerily. Dick’s smile widened as he grabbed a spoon and ate some of the cereal, making an ‘mmm’ sound.

“It’s good. Thank you baby bird,” Dick complimented, holding his arms out for a hug. Kaden giggled a bit and hugged his papa.

“Uh huh. It’s just cereal papa. But maybe next year I can do better,” Kaden answered with a bright little smile. Dick chuckled in amusement and ruffled his hair, eating the cereal with his other hand.

“Aw, it’s the thought that counts. C’mon up,” Dick replied, patting the bed beside him. Kaden’s smile brightened a bit as he crawled back up onto the bed and plopped down beside Dick. Jason groaned from the other side of the bed and rolled over, cracking an eye open at the sight before him.

“Mmm, wus goin’ on?” he mumbled. Kaden looked at his dad and frowned crossing his tiny arms over his chest.

“Daddy, it’s papa’s birthday! Did you forget?” he asked in a disappointed tone. Dick snickered in amusement, and Jason heaved a tired sigh, followed by a breathy chuckle of amusement. He stretched a bit and patted Kaden’s hair affectionately.

“No, dad would never forget papa’s birthday,” he replied, followed by a yawn “daddy’s just-” another yawn “-really tired.” Dick chuckled in amusement and carefully slid out of bed, tray in hand.

“C’mon little wing. Let’s let daddy sleep. He had a long night last night,” Dick said softly, padding out of his room. Kaden followed after him with a disappointed look on his face.

“Aw. So much for breakfast in bed,” Kaden muttered.Dick gave a slight laugh as he slid the tray onto the kitchen table and lifted Kaden up into his lap, kissing his forehead.

“Aw, baby bird, don’t be like that! I really appreciated it. Thank you!” Dick replied, Kaden’s expression brightening. Kaden hugged his papa and Dick smiled brightly as he finished his cereal.

“C’mon, let’s get you something to eat, hmm?” Dick asked and Kaden shook his head.

“No, I can do it. It’s your birthday!” Kaden said, matter-of-factly. He grabbed a chair and dragged it toward the kitchen counter, Dick watching in amusement. He chuckled at the sight of Kaden climbing up to the cabinet to grab the cereal. Moments later, Jason shuffled out of the bed room, dragging a hand through his black hair. He gave a yawn and quirked an eyebrow at the sight of Kaden climbing all over the kitchen.

“G’morning Dickie,” Jason purred, wrapping his arms around the man from behind and kissing his neck. Dick chuckled in amusement, massaging Jason’s scalp with gentle fingers.

“Good morning, Jaybird. What happened to being really tired?” he asked amusedly. Jason grinned against Dick’s skin, nibbling lightly at his neck. Dick bit his lip, suppressing a moan as he glanced over at Kaden who was busy in the fridge, grabbing the milk.

“Well, like Kaden said, it’s your birthday, so I figured” Jason whispered into the man’s ear, his hand sliding across Dick’s chest and stomach, settling low on his abs. Dick’s breath hitched and flashed a startled look at his husband, glancing over at Kaden who seemed oblivious “why not get an early start on celebrating?”

“Jason, Kaden’s right there!” Dick whispered worriedly. Jason snickered in amusement and kissed his lips, soft and sweet.

“Later then. I promise-” Jason began, interrupted as Kaden hopped up at the table with a bowl of cereal.

“Daddy! Give papa his present we got him!” Kaden said cheerily. Dick glanced back and forth between Kaden and Jason and quirked an eyebrow. Jason gave a little laugh and shuffled across the apartment and back into the bed room. Minutes later, he came back out with a small box, wrapped in lightning blue wrapped paper.

Kaden bounced up and down excitedly as his father placed the box on the table in front of Dick.

“Go on, open it. Kaden and I picked a little something up for you. Hope you like it,” Jason said smoothly, flopping down at the table. Dick grabbed the box and tore the wrapping paper open. Then came the box, which he carefully opened so as not to damage whatever was inside. Dick smiled brightly at the box’s contents.

First he pulled out a hand made card from Kaden, with a drawing of him and Kaden on it. Inside the card was a goofy photo of the two of them from the carnival a few weeks ago. And the second item was a statuette; a circus elephant with three circus acrobats balancing on its back.

“Wow...I don’t know what to say!” Dick said softly, gingerly pulling the statuette out of the box and examining it carefully.

“Do you like it?” Kaden asked with hopeful eyes. Dick glanced over at Jason who wore a smug grin, then at Kaden. He smiled brightly ans placed the statuette carefully on the table and pulled Kaden into a hug.

“I love them. Both the card and the statuette,” Dick said happily, kissing Kaden’s forehead. He turned to Jason and smirked, snaking an arm around his neck and oulling him in for a kiss.

“Hmm. Glad you like it. Happy birthday Dickie.”

“Happy birthday papa!”

“Thank you both! Now, should we get to the manor for my surprise party?”


	17. The Dark Knight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Dark Knight is here to protect Gotham City! A task made more difficult by the fact that it's made of blocks and books.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Prompt by kate1zena:** Kaden building a "pretend Gotham" out of blocks, toy cars, etc and dressing up as a superhero or criminal to save or destroy Gotham.
> 
> This one is really short, but I had fun with it, regardless. Heh. Been sick most of the last week, so I haven't really felt much like writing. Updates and new stories are probably going to come less often in the future too. Sort of fallen into a writing hole. Now that The Knights of Gotham is done, I'm kind of at a loss of what to write next. Hmm. ~_~ Anywho, enjoy! ^^
> 
> Dick - 31  
> Jason - 28  
> Kaden - 6

_“Give it up Killer Croc. You’re done,” Batman said evenly, glaring at the villain. Killer Croc chuckled darkly and punched his hand, approaching Batman threateningly. Batman’s glare deepened and he didn’t back down, didn’t even so much as flinch._

_“I’m gonna make a meal out of you, Bats. And then Gotham will be mine,” Croc replied. He grinned, then lunged in at Batman. Batman flipped backwards and avoided a punch from the villain, retaliating by throwing several explosive batarangs. Killer Croc shielded himself with his arm, the batarangs exploding harmlessly on his scaled arm. Batman lunged forward and landed a kick to Croc’s face, sending him stumbling backwards._

“Ha! Go you! Take that!” Kaden called cheerily, bashing a Killer Croc action figured with a Batman figure. Kaden laughed happily as he bounced around his room, wearing part of last year’s Halloween costume: a Batman Cowl and cape. He’d built a scale model of Gotham City out of blocks, books, LEGOs and other toys, and he was, naturally, Batman. Beating up the bad guys.

A little knock came at his door and Kaden looked up at it, placing his Batman figure on top of a clock tower made of books and blocks, and dropped Killer Croc on the floor. Kaden bounced toward his door and opened it up, smiling up at his papa.

“Hi papa!” Kaden said cheerily. Dick smiled at the little boy and knelt down in front of him, patting his head.

“Hey little wing! Playing Batman again?” Dick asked amusedly. Kaden nodded and grabbed his papa’s hand, dragging him into the room.

“Uh huh. Look papa! I built Gotham!” Kaden said proudly as he showed off his little Gotham City. Dick scanned it with his eyes before smiling over at Kaden, who watched him with a smile, waiting for him to say something.

“Wow, this is really good, Kaden!” Dick said smoothly, and Kaden jumped up and down, cheering proudly. He grabbed up his Batman figurine and gave his papa the Killer Croc.

“C’mon papa! Play Batman with me! You can be Killer Croc!” Kaden chortled, flopping down beside his block city. Dick chuckled in amusement and sat down beside him.

“Okay. So tell me what’s up?”

“Killer Croc is trying to rob the bank. But Batman comes in to save the day!” Kaden said cheerily, moving his Batman figured toward Killer Croc. Dick chuckled in amusement and made a little roar sound, making Kaden laugh.

“You’re a good Killer Croc, papa,” Kaden said cheerily. Dick laughed and kissed the boy’s head.

“Well, I think I’d make a better Nightwing, don’t ypou think?” he asked. Kaden nodded.

“Uh huh. I don’t have a Nightwing though,” Kaden replied sadly. Dick smiled and patted the boy’s head.

“We’ll get you one!” Kaden’s expression brightened as he hopped onto his feet and hugged Dick.

“Okay! Now come and get me scale face!” Kaden called out, running around the little city of blocks. Dick laughed and got to his feet, chasing after him with the action figure out in front of him.

“I’m gonna eat you Batman!” Dick called out with a laugh. Kaden let out a shrill giggle as he made his third lap around the little block city.

“Nuh uh! You’re going down, Croc!”

“Rawr!”

“Hey, what’s going on in here?” came Jason’s voice as he popped his head in the room. Dick and Kaden stopped everything and glanced up at the door toward Jason. Jason quirked an eyebrow at Dick, then looked to Kaden, his eyebrow arching higher. And then he got a look at the mess in Kaden’s room.

“We’re playing Batman, daddy. Papa is Killer Croc and I’m Batman. And I’m winning,” Kaden said, matter of factly. Dick snickered in amusement and gave a curt nod.

“He is. Batman never loses,” Dick said with a knowing look. Jason snorted and flashed the two of them a grin.

“I don’t know about that, but-”

“It’s true! Batman is the best!” Kaden skipped over to his closet and started digging through his toy box, then skipped up to his dad and handed him a dinosaur.

“Come play with us daddy!” Kaden said. Jason smirked as he took the dinosaur and looked at it with a raised eyebrow.

“Well, maybe after lunch. Surely ‘Batman’ must be hungry after all that crime fighting?” Jason asked amusedly, patting Kaden’s head. Kaden frowned, then gave a thoughtful look. He moved toward block city and then glanced back at his dad.

“Okay. The Dark Knight shall return!” he said, grabbing his cape and letting it fly behind him as he rushed out to the kitchen. Jason watched him go with an amused grin, shaking his head. 

“Maybe we need to cut down on the sugar a bit,” Jason joked. Dick laughed and swatted his arm.

“Oh, I think it’s adorable! Now c’mon, let’s go feed the Dark Knight, hmm?” Dick asked with a smile, pressing a quick kiss to Jason’s lips.


	18. Snow Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Today is a snow day, so Kaden has no school. He and his parents decide to spend the day, having some fun instead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No prompt this time, just something I randomly decided to write. Enjoy :D

Kaden sat on the couch in his dad’s lap while Jason sipped his coffee and Dick sat beside him, his head resting on the man’s shoulders. Kaden was still in his pajamas, a pair dark gray pajama bottoms and a button up pajama shirt with batman symbols all over it them. He watched the television intently as the anchor starting listing off cancellations, hoping for a snow day today.

“-and Gotham Academy,” the anchor woman finished. Kaden cheered loudly as he hopped out of his dad’s lap and flailed his little arms in the air.

“Yay! No school today!” He called with a laugh. Dick and Jason watched him amusedly as they cuddled a little closer together. Kaden ran to his bedroom and closed the door shut. Dick looked up at Jason and smiled.

“Any plans today, little wing?” Dick asked softly. Jason snorted at the use of his old nicknamed and chugged down the rest of his coffee.

“Isn’t that Kaden’s nickname now?” Jason asked, quirking an eyebrow. Dick smiled sweetly, stretching a little bit to place a kiss on Jason’s jaw.

“You’ll always be my little wing, Jaybird,” Dick said softly, kissing the man’s jawline again. Dick scooted a little closer and started kissing the man’s neck, and Jason tilted his head a little, giving him better access.

“Well, then you won’t mind if I keep calling you Dickie-Bird then, hmm?” Jason replied softly. Dick chuckled against the man’s neck, sucking up a mark. Moments later, they heard Kaden’s door open again and he came barreling out of his room in his winter clothes, a long sleeve shirt, a black winter coat and black ski pants and boots. He pulled on his gloves and then raced up to his parents, flashing a toothy grin as he tugged on his dad and papa’s hands.

“C’mon daddy! Papa! Let’s go play in the snow!” Kaden chortled. Jason and Dick laughed as they allowed themselves to be tugged off of the couch by the little boy. Jason sighed and raked a hand through his hair, a smile plastered across his face as he stumbled through the room a bit as Kaden tugged him toward the door.

“Okay, okay, calm down! Let daddy and papa get dressed first okay?” Jason asked with a laugh, ruffling the boy’s hair. Kaden nodded, practically bouncing up and down impatiently by the door. Jason smiled at Dick and enlaced their fingers, placing a kiss on his lips before tugging him to the bedroom. The two men dressed while listen to Kaden’s constant pleas for them to ‘hurry up’. Jason dressed in his usual jeans, black boots and dark brown leather jacket, pulling on a pair of black gloves, and Dick followed him out of the bedroom in a black winter coat, boots, gloves, and jeans. He grabbed up a blue scarf and wrapped it around his neck.

“Okay champ, ready to go out and play?” Jason asked with a grin, patting the boy’s hair as he crouched down in front of him.

“Yeeeeah!” He cheered loudly, practically tackling his father and knocking him over on his ass. The three of them laughed I amusement, but Kaden practically bubbled with joy as he led his parents out of the apartment, down the stairs and out of the building.

Kaden race through the small yard of the apartment complex and dived right into a snow pile. He jumped out again and giggled happily, flopping down and moving his arms and legs to make a snow angel.

“Need some help there, champ?” Jason asked, holding his hand out to the boy. Kaden grabbed his dad’s hand and Jason lifted him up effortlessly and planted him back down.

“Nice angel. It’s missing something though,” Jason said smoothly. Kaden looked up at his dad quizzically.

“What’s that?” the boy asked. Jason grinned and crouched down, drawing a pair of horns on a tail on it. Kaden snorted with laughter and shoved his dad playfully.

“Dad!” he chortled. Jason grinned, tugging the boy into his arms and blowing raspberries in his neck. Kaden let out a shrill laugh and he squirmed in his dad’s arms. 

Dick had other ideas, however. He snickered to himself as he grabbed up a bunch of snow and snuck up behind Jason. When Kaden spotted him he pressed a finger to his lips, signalling Kaden not to say anything. Then, in a quick movement, Dick grabbed the back of Jason;s shirt and dumped some snow down his back. 

Jason yelped and jumped up off of the ground, clawing at his back.

“Oh godthat’sfuckingcold!” He blurted out, grabbing the bottom back of his shirt and jumping to get it out. He glared at Dick and grabbed up some snow, packing it into a ball.

“Dick, you son of a bitch,” Jason called playfully, throwing a snowball at him. Dick laughed, running across the yard as Jason lobbed a snowball at him. It nailed him in the back and Jason was already making another one. Kaden laughed gleefully, watching his parents chase each other around the yard, throwing snowballs at each other.

Kaden grabbed a little bit of snow and made a small snowball itself, throwing it at his papa while he was busy, ready to throw one at Jason. The snowball pegged Dick I the arm, and Dick flashed Kaden a mock pout.

“Oh, that’s it you little brat!” Dick called with a laugh, chasing after Kaden. Kaden giggled gleefully as his papa nailed him in the back with a snowball. Jason pointed and laughed when Kaden turned around and nailed Dick in the chest with a snowball. Dick moved to grab the little boy but slipped on a patch of ice and fell face first into a mound of snow. Kaden and Jason both double over beside each other from laughter.

Dick pulled himself out of the snow and huffed, dusting himself off. He smiled at his boys, content to sit in the snow and watch as the two of them turned on each other and started flinging snowballs.

Then Kaden changed the game, lunging at his father and tackling him, playfully, knocking them both into a mound of snow. Jason yelped as some of the snow got down the back of his shirt and Kaden laughed hysterically.

“Oh, you think that’s funny you little brat? Try this!” Jason said with a laugh, grabbing some snow and stuffing it down the back of Kaden’s shirt. Kaden shrieked in both surprise and laughter as he squirmed around, trying to get the snow out. Dick moved over toward them, laughing as he dropped to his knees and kissed Jason’s cheek, grabbing Kaden’s tiny hand and tugging him into his lap. The three of them let out a contented sigh. The day had only just begun and it was already looking pretty great.

“Hey daddy, papa?” Kaden asked innocently, looking up at his parents. The two men smiled at their son.

“What’s up little wing?” Dick asked softly. Kaden smiled.

“Wanna build a snowman?” he asked. Dick and Jason chuckled in amusement, pushing themselves up onto their feet and tugging Kaden up with them.

“Sure thing,” Jason replied, ruffling the boy’s hair.

“And then maybe we can go and visit Grandpa and Uncle Tim! And have a huge snowball fight!” he said cheerily. Dick chuckled in amusement and kissed the top of Kaden’s head.

“Sounds like a blast!” Kaden let out a shrill laugh as he started rolling some snow into a ball. He waited until his papa moved past him, then held his finger to his lips to his dad. Jason grinned widely and gave a little nod, lifting the boy up. Kaden tugged the back of his papa’s shirt and dropped the snow down his back. Dick yelped in surprise, squirming and clawing at his back as the cold wet snow dripped down his back.

“You little brats, both of you!” He shrieked, followed by a laugh as he tackled Jason into the snow.


	19. Grandpa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick and Jason have a 'trip' to go on and leave Kaden at the manor under the care of Grandpa Bruce.

Dick, Jason and Kaden arrived at the manor, carrying a few bags for little Kaden. Alfred greeted them and the made their way inside, and Jason knelt before his son.

“Okay, behave for Alfred and Grandpa Bruce, okay?” Jason asked, petting his son;s hair. Kaden nodded, a smile on his little face as he hugged his father. Jason hugged him tight and then Dick, kissing his forehead.

“Are you sure this okay Alfred?” Jason asked. Alfred chuckled in amusement and patted Jason's arm.

“Yes I’m quite sure Master Jason. I shall look after young Kaden and I assure you he’ll be fine while you’re on your...trip,” Alfred replied. Jason gave a nod and knelt down before Kaden one final time and hugged him.

“I'm gonna miss you baby bird,” He murmured, kissing the little boy’s head on more time.

“Bye daddy. Bye papa. Come back soon, okay?” Kaden called, waving goodbye to his parents.

“We will, and then we’ll go to the carnival, all three of us, just like we promised, okay?” Dick called back, waving back to him. Kaden waved one final time before Alfred closed the door, picking up Kaden’s bags and leading the little boy by his hand to his bedroom here in the manor.

“Alfred?” Kaden asked, looking up at the old man. Alfred glanced down at Kaden and flashed a smile.

“Yes?”

“Why do you talk so funny?” Kaden asked. Alfred chuckled in amusement and came to a stop before Kaden’s door, pushing it open.

“Here we are Master Kaden,” Alfred said evenly, moving into the room and setting the bags down. He knelt in front of the boy and said “and to answer your question, it;s because I came from England. Everyone talks like this there.” Kaden cocked his head to the side, curious.

“Why’s that?” he asked. Alfred chuckled again and patted his hair.

“Well, because people talk differently from all over the world,” Alfred explained, getting back to his feet. He moved out of the room, with the curious boy following behind him as he continued “you see, there are different people all over the world. They talk different, they look different, and even act different. But inside, we’re all still the same.”

“Wow! You know a lot! I wanna meet different people too!” Kaden said cheerily, flashing a toothy grin. Alfred flashed a warm smile and patted the boy’s head.

“And some day you will. Of that I have no doubt. Come now, it’s almost lunch time, you must be hungry.” Alfred led Kaden down to the kitchen where he cooked chicken fingers and homemade fries. Kaden was rather easy to please when it came to food, though Alfred insisted on a vegetable. Kaden chose broccoli, with, of course, cheese.

Of course, once he was finished, he insisted on helping Alfred with clean-up. So there Kaden was, with his sleeved pushed up, standing on a stool beside Alfred and helping him to wash his own dishes.

“You’re a magnificent little helper, Kaden,” Alfred said to him, flashing a smile.

“Papa, daddy and I always clean up together at home,” Kaden replied, grinning from ear to ear. He grabbed the sink hose and sprayed Alfred with a quirk spurt, giving a bubbling laugh. Alfred stumbled back a bit in surprise and Kaden’s smile faded at the look on his face.

“Master Kaden!”

“Uh oh.” Alfred frowned at him...then a smile spread across his face, followed by a laugh as he quickly snatched the hose from Kaden and sprayed him back, the little boy letting out an infectious giggle as he jumped off the stool and ran around the corner of the kitchen island.

Alfred laughed and placed it back where it belonged, grabbing a towel and drying himself off, then tossing it to Kaden. Kaden grinned from ear to ear as he dried himself off while Alfred got back to cleaning.

“Thank you for lunch Alfie!” Kaden called as he skipped off through the manor. Kaden was looking for his grandfather, but everywhere he looked, he could not find the man. He did, however, find an old board game called “Battleship”. He smiled brightly and grabbed the game, making for the one room he hadn’t looked; his grandfather’s study.

Kaden stopped before the door and gave a knock. There was a pause, followed by a “come in.” Kaden pushed the door open and found his grandfather sitting at his desk, at his computer.

“Grandpa!” Kaden said cheerily, running up to the desk. Bruce looked up from his work and smiled.

“Hello Kaden, it’s nice to see you!” Bruce replied, offering a smile. Kaden giggled a bit and slid the game onto the desk.

“Grandpa, you wanna play with me? I found this old game we can play!” Kaden chortled. Bruce’s smile faded a bit as he glanced back at his computer.

“Sorry Kaden, but grandpa is busy. He has lots of work to do. Perhaps later,” he offered. Kaden, crestfallen, grabbed the game off the desk and left the study.

“Okay. Maybe later,” he muttered. Alfred entered the study, watching the little boy go with a sad smile. He turned to Bruce then and frowned.

“Master Bruce, this is the third time Kaden has been here this month and you haven’t spent any time with him,” Alfred scolded. Bruce looked up from his work and frowned.

“I;m sorry Alfred, but I’ve just been-”

“Busy, yes. You were also busy, as I recall, with Master Dick, Master Jason and Master Tim,” Alfred added. Bruce looked up with another frown on his face, and Alfred’s expression softened “you yourself have said that you regret not being the father any of your children needed. And now you’re repeating the same cycle again with your grandson.” Alfred strode up to the desk and turned the computer off, looking Bruce in the eye.

“Go and spend some time with your grandson. Surely your work cannot be more important than him.” Bruce heaved a sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“I don’t...know what to do, Alfred. I haven’t exactly spent any real time with normal children. Dick, Jason and Tim were all Robin, and I’d hardly call Damian normal,” Bruce replied. Alfred scoffed.

“They were all normal children, Master Bruce. Kaden is hardly different except that he’s not a Robin. Like any child, he just desires your attention. It doesn’t matter what you do, just as long as you take some time for him,” Alfred answered. Bruce looked at his old friend for several long moments, in silence before he finally pushed himself up from his desk. He stopped before Alfred and flashed a smile, placing a hand on the man’s shoulder.

Bruce made his way out of the study to find Kaden. And find him he did. Poor Kaden was being tormented by Damian again.

“I’m not a mistake!” Kaden shouted. Damian snorted, glancing up at Kaden over the top of his book from where he sat in the lounge.

“You are a mistake. But I don’t really have the time to deal with you. So why don’t you go bother someone else. Preferably someone who matters as little as you do,” Damian said casually. Kaden huffed in annoyance.

“The only mistake here is you! I don’t know how a jerk like you-”

“That’s funny, coming from a failed abortion,” Damian snapped, hopping off the chair and approaching Kaden. He grabbed the boy by the back of his shirt and started to drag him out of the room.

“I don’t care to have this conversation any more. You’re a distraction and-” Damian droned on, but he was both interrupted and surprised by what happened next.

“Let me go you bully!” Kaden shouted with tears in his eyes as he lurched forward and headbutted Damian in the face. Damian cursed loudly as he let Kaden go, the little boy racing through the room while Damian clutched at his bleeding nose.

“Ah, you little-”

“That’s enough Damian,” Bruce called, patting Kaden's had as the boy hid behind him.

“Father-” Damian cursed, glaring at the little boy, but Bruce held up a hand and stopped him.

“You had it coming. Frankly, you deserved it for tormenting the poor boy. Now go clean yourself up and leave Kaden alone,” Bruce said sternly. These kinds of things were hardly unusually around the manor. Bruce was practically an expert at breaking up fights at this point. Tim and Damian used to swing at each other all the time.

He heard a sniffling noise from behind him and Bruce looked back to see Kaden sniffling, eyes still watery. He flashed a smile before he knelt beside the boy.

“Am I a mistake?” he asked sadly, rubbing the tears from his eyes.

“No. You’re not. Damian can be a bit...well...cruel. But he’s not all bad. Give it time, he’ll warm up to you,” Bruce replied, patting the boy’s hair. Kaden gave a little nod and hugged his grandfather, who gladly hugged the boy back.

“Sorry Grandpa didn’t have time for you earlier. How about you and I watch some movies together?” Bruce asked. Kaden’s little face lit up as he wiped the last of the tears from his eyes.

“Okay!” he said cheerily, bringing a smile to Bruce’s face. He gently took the little boy’s hand in his and led him to his personal home theater. There were comfy, black leather couches, chairs and bean bag seats all around a large coffee table and the home theater system itself was impressive to say the least. A large, 100 inch HDTV was mounted on the wall, with a home theater surround sound speaker system around it. 

Bruce settled into the couch and Kaden hopped up beside him.

“Alfred!” Bruce called. Alfred came into the room minutes later as he fired up a movie. Alfred smiled at the sight before him and gave a slight bow.

“Yes sir?”

“Could you perhaps bring us some snacks for our movies?” Bruce asked politely, flashing the man a smile. Alfred’s own smile widened a bit as he gave a nod.

“Of course sir.” They’d gotten a good ten minutes into the movie before Alfred returned with a small cart full of treats. Kaden's eyes widened and he made a gasping sound.

“Wow,” he muttered. Two ice cream sundaes sat upon to top of the tray with all of Kaden's favorite things on it; mint chocolate chip ice cream with sprinkles, gummy bears, hot chocolate sauce, whipped cream and a cherry on top, with a hot brownie underneath it. Alfred handed a sundae each to Bruce and Kaden. But that wasn’t all. There were a couple bags of popcorn, some nachos and cheese, and lastly a couple of drinks.

“I took a few liberties, sir. Will this do?” Alfred asked with a sight smirk. Bruce chuckled and gave a nod.

“Yes, thank you Alfred,” he said, and turned to Kaden “we’ll skip dinner, just this once. Don’t tell dad or papa, okay? It’ll just be our little secret. And Alfred’s.”

“Okay!” Kaden said cheerily, munching away happily on his ice cream sundae.

“Enjoy your movie, sirs,” Alfred said smoothly.

“Alfred, you sure you don’t want to join us?” Bruce asked, looking back at the man as he retreated.

“Quite sure. Perhaps another time.”

The movies went on for a good few hours with both Kaden and Bruce laughing in amusement at the movies, occasionally trading commentary. Bruce didn’t laugh easily, but he seemed at ease when his family was with him. And Kaden’s own laughter was infectious. Not even Bruce could resist.

But night came and in the middle of their final movie, Kaden had fallen asleep. Bruce glanced down at his side, Kaden snoring soundly while leaned against him.

“Perhaps it’s time to put the young master to bed?” Alfred offered, coming to collect the cart. Bruce gingerly picked the little boy up and Kaden wound his arms around his grandpa absentmindedly, still sound asleep.

“Don’t worry Master Bruce, I shall take care of this,” Alfred said smoothly. Bruce gave a nod and climbed the stairs to Kaden’s bedroom. He pushed the door open then moved to the bed, pulling down the covers. He had to practically peel Kaden off of him, the boy was really clingy, and/or cuddly when he was tired. So he placed the boy in bed and tucked him in, then tried to slip out of the room silently.

“Mmm...goodnight grandpa,” Kaden called tiredly, rolling over in his bed. Bruce flashed a smile toward the boy and closed the door quietly.

“Good night, Kaden.”

* * * * *

A few days passed and Dick and Jason came knocking at the manor door.

“Alfred, hey! Where’s Kaden?” Jason asked immediately. Alfred chuckled in amusement and gestured for them to come inside. Dick and Jason made their way inside, and Kaden came bounding around the corner. His face lit up as he spotted his parents.

“Daddy! Papa!” He shouted, raving toward the two of them.’

“Hey little wing!” Dick called cheerily.

“How’s my little champ!” Jason called with a huge grin on his face, the two of them kneeling down and catching Kaden in their arms as he hugged the both of them.

“I missed you daddy! And you too papa!” Kaden said cheerily as Dick kissed his forehead and Jason ran his fingers through the little boy’s hair. Bruce rounded the corner with a smirk on his face and the boy’s bags in hand. Jason’s smile faded a bit, into a slight smirk as he stood up straight and took the bags.

“He wasn’t too much trouble, I hope?” Jason asked. Bruce shook his head.,

“Not at all. In fact, I look forward to his next visit,” Bruce replied.

“Did you have fun with grandpa?” Dick asked, patting the boy’s hair. Kaden looked up at his papa and smiled brightly.

“Uh huh! We watched movies and played games and-” Kaden went on as he grabbed the man’s hand and tugged him out to the car. Jason chuckled in amusement as he watched them go, then turned back to Bruce.

“Thanks for looking after him.” Bruce patted Jason’s back, wrapping an arm around his shoulders as they walked back to his car.

“It was no problem.” Jason hopped into the car and Dick started the engine. As they pulled away from the manor, Kaden rolled down his window and waved back to Bruce.

“Bye Grandpa!” he called back. Bruce smiled as he watched them go, waving as they drove away.

“So, can I count on you having young Master Kaden over more often?” Alfred asked, coming to a stop beside Bruce. Bruce leaned toward the man and flashed a smile.

“Definitely.”


	20. Lost and Found

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Prompt by Lunatic19:** Dick and Kaden find a stray kitten
> 
> Dick and Kaden spend the day together, just the two of them, and end up finding a lost kitten on their way home.
> 
> Dick - 31  
> Jason - 28  
> Kaden - 6

Dick and Kaden walked down the busy sidewalks of Gotham city on their way home from the park. Dick had the day off today, but alas, Jason did not. His 'work' demanded his presence and had since taken up most of the day. So today, Dick and Kaden decided to have some fun; they had breakfast sandwiches at the cafe around the block then spent the day at the park, grabbing lunch from the local pizzeria, stopped for Ice Cream, then went to the movies and now they were headed home.

“Today was fun, papa! I wish daddy could be here though,” Kaden said softly. Dick flashed the boy a smile and then knelt down beside him, placing a kiss atop the boy's head.

“Aw, don't worry little wing; daddy will join us next time, okay?” Dick said sweetly, ruffling Kaden's hair. Kaden smiled brightly and held his arms out to his papa who lifted him up and placed him on his shoulder.

“Okay papa. You promise?” Kaden asked. Dick chuckled in amusement as he made his way around the corner; their building was at the other end of the block.

“Yeah, promise,” Dick replied, glancing up at the boy. As they made their way toward the apartment, Kaden spotted a tiny black kitten with white paws scrounging around an alleyway. He bounced excitedly on his papa's shoulders and pointed toward the kitten.

“Papa! Papa, look! A kitten!” Kaden chortled. Dick looked toward the alleyway and gingerly placed Kaden down on the ground. He knelt down and held his hand out to it and called it over. The kitten padded out of the alley and instantly took a liking to Dick, pushing her head into his palm. Dick chuckled in amusement as he patted her and Kaden giggled, kneeling down beside his papa and patting her too.

“Can we keep her?” Kaden asked. Dick glanced over at Kaden and raised an eyebrow, then turning his attention back to the kitten. He thought about it for a moment, examined the tiny cat; she didn't have a collar, and she looked well groomed so it seemed likely she belonged to someone. On the other hand, there were no posters up declaring her lost either. Recently abandoned perhaps? Or recently lost.

Dick picked the little kitten up and grabbed Kaden's hand in his, smiling down at the boy.

“For a little while. I'm pretty sure she belongs to someone, but we won't let her stay out on the streets,” Dick said to him. Kaden cheered happily at that and from there, the two of them made their way home.

When they got home, Dick set the kitten down on the floor and she made herself at home. Dick kicked off his shoes and shucked off his jacket right onto the floor before padding into the kitchen.

“Dick, when id we get a cat?” Jason called from the living room. Dick turned and padded toward the living room as Kaden whipped past him. Dick chuckled in amusement to see Jason sprawled out on the couch with the kitten lying on his chest and curled into a ball while Kaden patted her.

“We found in her an alleyway on the way home. Didn't want to leave her out on the streets,” Dick explained, sitting down in an arm chair. Jason glanced over at Kaden and then at Dick and sighed, scratching the cat's ears.

“Well I guess she can stay for a while. But I'm sure someone's looking for her,” Jason said smoothly. The kitten purred and rubbed her head against his hand, then crawled up under his chin. Jason frowned and huffed in annoyance. “Yeah, personal space, cat,” Jason mumbled. Dick snickered in amusement and Kaden gingerly picked up the kitten and placed her on the floor where she stretched out before making herself comfortable underneath the coffee table.

"It'll take good care of you!" Kaden said cheerily, crawling under the table on his stomach to pat the kitten. Dick and Jason smiled at the boy as he played with the kitten.

“Don't get too attached, champ. She might belong to someone, in which case we'll have to give her back,” Jason said smoothly. Kaden's smile faded and he gave a wordless nod in reply.

._._._._.

A few days passed by and Dick and Jason couldn't find anything out about the kitten. It seemed as if she was indeed a stray. Kaden and the cat, which they'd named “Mittens”, seemed to be getting along quite well, too.

“Mittens!” Kaden called from the opposite side of the living room. He had a little cat teaser wand with a mouse on the end of it that they'd bought for the cat, and was waving it on the floor. Mittens was crouched under the coffee table, watching that mouse carefully. She raised prepared to pounce, and Kaden giggled. Mittens lurched out from under the table and pawed at the stuffed mouse as Kaden dangled it up in the air above her. Kaden laughed as the kitten jumped up in the air after the mouse. But playtime was interrupted by a knock on the door.

“I got it!” Dick called from the kitchen. He made his way out, patting Kaden's head as he passed and flashed the boy a smile. He answered the door and there he found a young woman, in hid mid twenties with brown hair and blue eyes.

“Hello. I heard you found a kitten recently?” the woman asked with tears in her eyes. Kaden picked Mittens up and made his way to the door. The woman smiled brightly and gasped when she saw the kitten.

“Aw, Oreo!” she called happily. The little kitten meowed and jumped from Kaden's arms and raced toward the woman, purring happily as she patted her. “Thank you so much! I live next door, but I've been away for the last few days to visit with my mother in the hospital. I couldn't find anyone to watch her and she's all I had left of my last cat, Mittens-”

“It was no problem,” Dick interrupted with a warm smile on his face. The woman smiled back and dried her eyes, holding out her hand in greeting.

“My name's Melissa,” she said with a giggle as the kitten climbed out of her arms and up onto her shoulder, rubbing up against her face.

“Dick,” Dick replied with a chuckle of amusement, shaking her hand. Melissa gently grabbed the kitten and tucked her in one arm, scratching her ears. She turned to a rather disappointed looking Kaden and asked “is he your son?”

“Yeah, he's mine and Dickie's,” Jason called from across the room, padding over in naught but a pair of dorm pants, his hair still dripping from the shower. Melissa blushed a bit and was silent as she not-so-subtly checked him out. She cleared her throat and patted Kaden's head.

“I see you've been taking good care of Oreo for me. You can come by and visit her anytime!” Kaden smiled brightly as he scratched the cat's ears and handed her the cat toy he'd been using to play with the kitten.

“Okay! Bye bye, Oreo” Kaden said cheerily. Melissa smiled and made her way down the hall to her own apartment, giving a glance back and a wave goodbye. Kaden sighed and retreated inside to sit on the couch with his head hung low.

Dick and Jason exchanged a look and joined the boy on the couch, sitting on either side of him. Jason wrapped an arm around the boy's shoulders.

“Sorry buddy, but we knew this was a possibility,” Jason said smoothly. Kaden looked up at his father and simply nodded. Dick sighed and kissed the boy's head, rubbing his back soothingly.

“Tell you what, Little Wing; maybe when you're a bit older, daddy and I will think about getting you your own pet,” Dick said, sharing a look with Jason. Kaden's face lit up as if it were Christmas Morning as he looked back and forth between his parents.

“Really?! Can we get a puppy?!” Kaden asked excitedly, jumping up on the couch. Jason chuckled in amusement and Dick gently pushed the boy back onto the couch.

“Sure, but don't jump on the couch,” Dick replied amusedly.

“And keep your grades up. Gotta prove you're responsible, okay?” Jason put in. Kaden cheered happily, throwing his little arms in the air as he raced for his bedroom.

“Yay! Alright daddy, I will, I promise! I'm gonna go study right now!”


	21. A Day At the Park

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason takes Kaden to the park.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Warning:** Super Fluff ahead. May cause cavities. Read at your own risk.
> 
> I'll be honest; this was all me. The sole purpose of this prompt's existence was to give you all cavities. Enjoy those holes in your teeth. Mwuhahahahhaaaa >:3
> 
> Dick - 31  
> Jason - 28  
> Kaden - 6

Today was _their_ day. Dick was away at work at Bludhaven and today was a holiday, so Kaden didn't have school. And, for a change, Jason's 'work' didn't have him running all over Gotham, so today was for him and Kaden. It was a nice day, warm and sunny, sitting at a comfortable 75 degrees, so off to the park they went! 

Kaden was so excited to go the park with his dad, he got dressed in record time; the little boy came bounding out of his room within minutes, pulling on a bright red Flash t-shirt as he came down the hall, wearing his favorite pair of blue jeans, and practically jumping into his black, yellow, and silver light up Batman shoes. For his part, Jason was content with just a pair of jeans and a green t-shirt.

“Ready to go bud?” Jason asked, flashing the boy a smile as he knelt before him and ruffled his hair.

“Yeah! Let's go to the park!” Kaden chortled. Jason chuckled in amusement as he stood back up and made for the door. Kaden whizzed past him, grabbing his hand and dragging him. Jason gasped as he was suddenly yanked forward, surprised by the little boy's strength. 

“Woah, slow down Kid Flash! The park isn't going anywhere!” Jason called with a laugh. Kaden giggled in response, jumping up to try and reach the car keys on the wall. He grumbled when he couldn't reach them, giving a little pout. Jason couldn't help but to smile, grabbing the keys off the wall and patting the boy's hair.

“Hey, don't worry. You'll get bigger some day. No need to rush,” Jason replied, ushering him out the door. They took the Lamborghini, since Dick had taken their other car and the side car for his motorcycle hadn't been installed yet; there was absolutely _no way_ , under _any_ circumstances, that Kaden was _ever_ going to ride his motorcycle without that side car.

“You know the rules, right?' Jason asked, hopping into the driver's seat and looking at Kaden. He waited patiently, looking right at Kaden; they never went anywhere until--

“Yup!” Kaden replied, hopping into the passenger's seat and buckling his seat belt. Jason smiled and patted the boy's head, starting the car and heading off for the park. Were this any city other than Gotham, he'd have held Kaden's hand and they would've walked to the park. But it _was_ Gotham, and, to be frank, he didn't trust this city with his kid. Dick was a little less paranoid about it, but Jason knew the city in a way he didn't.

Okay, so _maybe_ he was being a _little_ overprotective, but who could blame him? I mean, Gotham wasn't exactly a sparkling gem of safety and prosperity. In retrospect, perhaps Gotham was not the best place to raise a child, but it was home. Jason's home. So he took it upon himself, alongside Dick, Bruce, and Damian, to _make_ it safe. And as Jason glanced over at his little boy, the little grin on his face as he looked out the window and hummed the tune to a song from one of his favorite Disney movies, he knew the sacrifices were worth it.

“Dad, there it is!” Kaden called minutes later, face nearly pressed up against the window as the park came into view. Jason chuckled in amusement as he veered in it's direction.

“I know, I see it! Sit in your seat right, Kades,” Jason replied. Kaden sat back down in his seat, his little hands grasping the belt buckle excitedly, waiting for the moment the car stopped. And when it did, that seat belt was off before you could say 'In a Flash', and he bounced out of the car door.

“Kaden,” Jason said in warning. Kaden huffed a little in annoyance, but waited patiently for his father. The man rounded the car and grabbed Kaden's hand, and _was led_ to the park by his son, once again underestimating the kid's strength, and almost tripping over the curb. As soon as they hit grass, Kaden tugged harder. It was only when they reached the edge of the sand box, did Jason let go, and Kaden rocketed off for the jungle gym. Jason watched in amusement, making himself comfortable on a nearby bench, from which he watched the boy play.

Jason heaved a contented sigh as he relaxed on the bench, head tilting back and closing his eyes for a few moments. He sucked in a deep breath, then looked back toward the playground to see Kaden happily playing with other children. He felt a little pride in himself at the sight; pride in the fact that he was able to give Kaden the kind of childhood he _wished_ he had had.

Jason glanced back at Kaden and quirked an eyebrow; the boy was talking with his friend, then looked right at him and smirked. Should he be concerned? Kaden raced toward his father and Jason sat up, ready for anything; what did this pint-sized terror have in store for him now?

“Hey daddy?”

“Yeah? What is it, champ?”

“Tag, you're it!” Kaden called, racing off into the grass. Jason blinked for a moment, then grinned from ear to ear. He jumped off of the bench and chased after Kaden was was looking over his shoulder to see if his father was coming. He let out a shrill laugh as he booked it for the grass, his father right behind him.

“Oh I am, am I? C'mere!” Jason called after him, skidding to a stop as Kaden turned on a dime and raced off the other way. Jason raced after the boy who was laughing hysterically. When Jason finally caught up, he hauled the little boy up off of his feet, wrapped him up and both arms and gave a playful growl as he hugged him tight. “Ha! Gotcha!” 

“Daddy, put me down!” Kaden called with a shrill laugh. Jason laughed and knelt down on the grass, dropping the little boy carefully to the ground and then tickling him.

“I have a better idea! Thought you could get the drop on me, huh? How about this?” Jason called, continuing his playful assault as Kaden laughed hysterically, squirming to break free of his father's ticklish fingers.

“Daddy stooop! I'm gonna pee!” Kaden called with another shrill laugh. Jason heaved a satisfied sigh and dropped down onto the grass beside Kaden, content with his victory. Kaden huffed a bit as he lay beside his father and folded his hands behind his head.

“Old fart,” Kaden teased.

“Brat. You want some more?” Jason teased, poking Kaden in the side. Kaden giggled and shied away, holding his little hands up defensively.

“No! No more, you win!” Kaden replied with a laugh. The two of them sighed in unison, content to just lay in the grass.

“Today was fun, but I'm kinda hungry,” Kaden admitted. Jason groaned as he pulled himself up into a siting position, helping Kaden up to his feet.

“Alright, let's go home and grab a bite to eat, yeah?”

“Okay!”

._._._._.

Dick heaved a weary sigh as he pulled himself up the stairs to the apartment. He'd been let off or work early today, but it was quite a busy day; thirteen arrests today, and eight of them were before noon. I was almost two pm when he finally pushed his way through the door.

“Kades! Jason! I'm home!” Dick called, hanging his keys up on the wall and kicking off his shoes. He groaned as he unbuttoned his shirt a little and padded into the living room when he didn't get an answer. He quickly found out why; the tv was going, with Netflix on and some cartoon show going and Jason and Kaden were sound asleep on the couch. The two of them were stretched out on the couch, with Kaden sound asleep in his father's arms.

At the sight of it, Dick's heart melted and he couldn't help but just watch them for a little bit. He snuck into his bedroom and grabbed the camera, snapping a few pictures. This was definitely a memory worth preserving.


	22. Valentine's Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Every year, Dick has something very nice planned for Valentine's Day, but this year, Jason takes a crack at it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Self-Valentine's day prompt! Enjoy No idea why I chose to do it when Kaden was younger, just a whim I guess. ~_~ But whatever, enjoy all the same. x3
> 
> Dick - 33  
> Jason - 30  
> Kaden - 7

Valentine’s day was upon them again, and every year, Dick always had something special planned for both he and his husband. Last year, Dick planned a romantic get away to the beach. He took the entire day off work, spent the entire day watching love movies curled up on the couch with Jason, had a nice dinner, and then spent the evening on the beach, watching the sunset. Dick was a very romantic person at heart, but this year, Jason wanted a crack at it.

He’d be the first to admit, that romance wasn’t exactly his forte. But after seven years of being together, of having Dick plan out their valentine’s day, Jason decided it was his turn to show Dick ow much he loved him. So for a whole month in advance, Jason made Dick promise not to plan anything, not to do anything, because he had it covered. Dick amusedly agreed and now the day was finally here. Dick was interested to see what his husband had planned.

Dick woke early in the morning, as per the norm. When he sat up in bed, stretching a bit, he glanced over to find Jason’s side of the bed empty. Try as he might, he couldn’t help the smile tugging at the corner of is lips. Jason never got up early if he didn’t have to! 

Dick slid out of bed and out of the bedroom to look for his husband, smile still plastered across his face. When he gout out to the living room, his smile faltered and his mood faded a little; Jason was just sitting on the couch watching UFC.

“Hey, morning babe! Sleep well?” Jason asked, flashing a smile at Dick and turning his attention back to the television. Dick didn’t answer right away, in fact he felt a little hurt because it seemed like Jason had forgotten what today was. But there was still the whole rest of the day. He smiled back at the man, shuffled over and placed a kiss on his cheek.

“I did. Amazing, considering the night’s events,” Dick purred, slipping into Jason’s lap. Jason grinned up at the man and leaned in, burying his face in the man’s neck and sucking up marks. Dick moaned softly, tilting his head back and giving the man unhindered access to his neck.

“Believe me, that was my pleasure too,” Jason purred with a breathy laugh. Dick chuckled a bit, wrapping his arms around Jason. He glanced up at the clock, briefly, and huffed in annoyance.

“Something wrong Dickie?” Jason asked. Dick gave a nod.

“Yeah, unfortunately I have to work today,” he said. Jason chuckled in amusement and kissed his husband’s lips.

“Well, try not to work too hard. See you later babe,” Jason replied. Dick hid his disappointment as he moved back into the bedroom to dress for work. Jason hadn’t shown any sign that he’d remembered what today was...but again, there was still the whole rest of the day, right...?

* * * * *

The whole rest of Dick’s day was pretty crappy. Three drug busts, two assaults and a sexual assault case later, Dick felt pretty exhausted. Mentally as opposed to physically. Though he wasn’t doing much physically, considering he’d had to chase three suspects across Bludhaven, nearly getting stabbed twice, and almost shot once in the process. A typical day in Bludhaven. The whole day had passed and Dick hadn’t heard a word from Jason. No phone call, no surprise visit, no e-mails, cards, nothing. So that hadn’t improved his day much either.

That was until he got to his desk. Dick smiled brightly as he sat down at his desk, a bouquet of flowers and a box of chocolates waiting there for him. Upon further inspection, he found a card along with it, flipping it open. Dick looked around nervously, cheeks painted pink. Inside was a simple message: wait ‘till you get home. And a picture of Jason, stretched out on the bed, and in nothing but a pair of silky red heart boxers with a rather lustful smirk on his face.

Dick closed the card quickly before anyone could see it; not so much out of shame or embarrassment, as a desire to keep anyone else from looking at the picture. Jason was _his_ and frankly, he didn’t want to share. Needless to say, Dick couldn’t wait to get home that night.

* * * * *

Dick, with flowers and chocolates in hand, pushed open the door to the apartment, having changed back into civvies at the station. The curtains were closed and the entire apartment was dark. Dick could feel his excitement rising, content to leave his bag on the couch. He placed the chocolates and flowers on the coffee table and glanced down at the floor to notice a trail of rose petals leading toward the bedroom. 

“Jaybird, what’d you do?” he asked himself with a smile on his face as he followed the trail. When he got to the bedroom, he gasped slightly at the sight before him; a small table for two was set in the middle of the room with a pair of candles lit in the center and a rather amazing looking meal set out, for two. The only thing missing was Jason.

Dick couldn’t help grinning from ear to ear like an idiot as he approached the table, hand resting lightly on the back of one of the chairs. Then he felt a pair of arms wrap around him, and a pair of tender lips on his neck.

“Heya Dickie. Like my surprise,” Jason purred softly, gently kissing the man’s neck. Dick smiled brightly, biting his lip to suppress a moan as he felt his husband’s thumbs brush lightly against the skin of his stomach, just beneath his shirt.

“I was afraid-”

“That I’d forgotten? Nah, all part of my plan,” Jason interrupted, parting from the man to pull out a chair for Dick. Dick took the offered seat and Jason sat across from him. Grilled steak, sauteed shrimp in lemon, garlic and butter and two glasses of wine sat on the table, waiting for them.

“Where’s-” Dick began, but Jason interrupted quickly.

“Kaden is at the manor. I asked Bruce to babysit him for the day while I set this all up,” Jason explained. Dick looked at the spread on the table, then chuckled in amusement.

“Alfred cooked this, didn’t he?” Dick asked. Jason frowned but eventual gave a nod.

“I tried, I really did, but I almost burned the kitchen,” Jason said sourly, earning a laugh from Dick. Jason smirked a bit and gave a shrug, adding “Alfred got wind of what I was up to and dropped by just in the nick of time to help. I dunno how he does it.”

“He’s Alfred,” Dick replied, grabbing a fork. Jason gave a light chuckle and a nod in agreement.

“It’s the thought that counts, Jaybird, thank you,” Dick said sincerely offering the man a bright smile. Jason couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear, his husband’s smiles as infectious as ever.

The meal and wine was amazing, but Jason wasn’t quite done, it seemed. He moved away from the table and stood in front of the bed, gesturing for Dick to join him. Dick couldn’t help but to grin, knowing where this was going, but definitely not minding; he had a beautiful husband. And Jason stripped down in front of him, flopping back down on the bed in naught but that pair of silky red boxers from the picture he’d given Dick at work.

“Happy Valentine’s day, Dickie. Now c’mon, come get your present,” Jason purred, stretching out on the bed, and arcing his hips up, ever so slightly. Dick licked his lips, the look on his face sending shudders across Jason's body.

“Happy valentine’s day Jaybird,” Dick said softly, crawling up onto the bed, and slowly tugging the man’s boxers off his waist...


	23. A New Member of the Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set about a week after "A Dark Sense of Humor", Dick and Jason get Kaden a new puppy. Prompt: MaddyR on FanFiciton
> 
> Dick - 33  
> Jason - 30  
> Kaden - 7

Jason, Dick and Kaden sat at the table to breakfast, Alfred having had come over that Saturday which was a rare thing indeed. He cooked them breakfast and cleaned up while they ate and made a remark about Jason’s cleanliness in the bedroom, to which Kaden laughed. Jason stuck his tongue out at the boy and Dick slapped him in the back of the head playfully, earning another laugh from Kaden.

“Oh, that’s funny to you?” Jason asked, tickling the little boy’s side.

“Ah, nooo! Papa help!” Kaden called with a laugh. Dick wiggled his eyebrows at Jason and then got to the feet and began tickling Jason.

“No, dammit Dick, stop, I swear to god, I’ll shoot you!” Jason said with a laugh, falling out of his chair. Dick laughed in amusement and followed the man down to the floor, ticklish fingers finding their way back on his side.

“Hurry Kaden, let’s get him!”

“Get him!” Kaden called with a shrill laugh as he joined his papa on the floor to tickle his dad.

“No, stop it both of you! Or you’re both grounded forever!” Jason called with a laugh.

“Time to settle down for now, and finish your breakfast,” Alfred interrupted with an amused grin on his face. Jason sat up on the floor as Dick and Kaden retreated to the table to finish breakfast. He sighed contentedly with a smile on his face before he rejoined them. Kaden stuck his tongue out at Jason and Jason made a face at him, this time earning a slap from Alfred.

“Okay, I get the sense that today is pick on Jason day,” he said in an amused tone. Dick leaned over and pressed a kiss to the man’s jaw.

“It’s just our way of showing you we love you. Right Kay?” Dick asked. Kaden gave a nod and smiled at his father.

“So Kaden, what would you say if daddy told you he thought about getting you a dog?” Jason asked, sipping his coffee. Kaden looked up and his eyes lit up as if it were Christmas again.

“Really?! I can have a puppy?!” he asked with a huge smile. Jason glanced over at Dick and gave a shrug.

“I was serious last night. Don’t tell me you’re not?” he asked. Dick just sighed and shook his head, kissing the man again.

“Sure, you can have a puppy. We’ll go down to the pet shop later today and you can pick one out, how does that sound?” Dick asked Kaden. Kaden’s face lit up and he nodded eagerly.

“Okay!” he said cheerily, scoffing down his breakfast.

* * * * *

Later, apparently, had been every fifteen minutes. Jason and Dick were both slightly annoyed after a while, but also amused at Kaden’s eagerness. So when noon finally came around, and Dick and Jason decided to go out for lunch, Kaden dressed quickly and happily dragged his dad and papa down to the car.

“Woah, slow down kid, the animals will all be there when we get there, I promise!” he said with a laugh. He exchanged glances with Dick who snatched the keys from Jason’s hands.

“Hey! I wanted to drive!” Jason called with a mock pout. Dick rolled his eyes.

“Every time you drive the Lamborghini, you give me a mini heart attack. I’m driving this time.”

“Tch, buzz kill.” And So they all hopped into the car and let Kaden pick out where they were going to go. Naturally, they ended up at the local pizza place, and after that, it was off to the pet store.

Kaden practically dragged Dick and Jason into the store, the most excited look on his face as he ran around the store, looking at all the different animals. Jason seemed a bit interested too, except in animals that were less fluffy and more...scaly.

“Here you go, Dickie-bird. Imagine this fat sucker crawling up on you at six in the morning,” Jason said with a grin, pointing at an iguana chilling on a branch underneath a light. Dick shook his head.

“No, absolutely not. Not in a millions years,” he said with a little laugh. Jason grinned and opened his mouth to speak, but Dick had been saved by the bell. Kaden came runnign back with a smile on his face.

“Did you find yourself a puppy?” Jason asked, bending down in front of the boy. Kaden nodded eagerly and took both their hands and dragging the amused couple halfway across the store. 

“Right here! I want her!” Kaden said, pointing to a lone puppy sitting in a cage all by herself. Kaden knelt down in front of the kennel and the little puppy, at least four moths old, came prancing over, tail wagging a million miles an hour, licking Kaden’s little fingers. The puppy was a beautiful shade of golden brown with a black muzzle and a white star burst on her chest.

“Aw, she’s cute! What is she?” Dick asked. 

Jason looked over the cage and read aloud “rhodesian ridgeback pitbull mix.” Moments later, one of the employees came over with a smile on her face.

“Did you find everything okay?” she asked. Jason grinned at her and Dick shot him a warning glare. But, he did it anyway.

“Yeah, we found everything just...fine,” he said looking her over. She blushed a bit and flashed a shy smile and Dick just roller his eyes and facepalmed behind her. Jaon shuckled a bit in amusement and pointed to the dog.

“We’d like to take her home. So, how much is she?” he asked. The girl knelt down and looked at the puppy.

“Ah, this one is an interesting one. We originally thought she was a pitbull, but we found out later she’s ridgeback mix. But nobody wanted the poor girl. Because she’s a pitbull,” the girl explained, flashing a sad look up at Jason.

“We’ll take her,” he said with a shrug. She smiled up at him and pulled a leash out of her pouch and latched it onto her collar and led the little puppy to the counter.

“She’s about $120. I’ll even throw in some pet food,” she said with a smile, leaning over the counter.

“Just don’t tell my manager.” Jason winked at her and Dick, again rolled his yes, playfully jabbed him in the side with his elbow when she wasn’t looking. So the girl came back with a food and water dish and a large bag of puppy food and rang it all up, excluding the food.

“That’ll be $128,” she said. 

“I got this,” Jason said smoothly, digging in his wallet and pulling out a $100 bill and a $50. “Keep the change,” he said with wink, handing the leash to Kaden.

“Yes, thank you daddy!” he said cheerily, hugging his father before rushing out of the store with the leash in hand.

“C’mon, let’s go Star!” Kaden said cheerily, leading the dog out of the store.

“Star?” Jason asked, quirking an eyebrow. Dick laughed and gave a shrug.

“Let the kid have his fun.” He pressed a quick kiss the the man’s lips.

“By the way, I ever tell you how adorable you are when you’re all fatherly like this?” Dick asked with a rather seductive edge in his tone. Jason turned and grinned at him, wrapped his arms around the man’s waist.

“Why don’t you tell me more,” he purred, pressing his forehead against Dick’s, a rather seductive grin on his face.

“Dad, Pa, come on!” Kaden called impatiently, wanting to get home and play with his new dog. Jason laughed breathily and raked a hand through his hair before he turned and grabbed up the dog food and the dish.

“I love the kid, but he’s a little cockblocker,” he said jokingly. Dick laughed in amusement and pressed a kiss to his husband’s jaw.

“Behave the rest of the day, and maybe tonight I’ll make it worth your while,” he purred into the man’s ear. Jason wiggled his eyebrows.

“You got a deal.”

“Dad!” Kaden called again, and even Star gave a short bark, little tail wagging through the air.


	24. Appreciated [NSFW]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason comes home, pissed, after a bad night on patrol and a confrontation with Bruce. Dick decides to show his husband how much he loves him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No prompt this time, I just felt the need to write something fluffy (and sexy because I'm a perv. *shock* *dismay* x3 ). It actually started out purely as fluff, but then it turned a little smutty. Whoops. ~_~ Without spoilers, Memento Mori is getting a little dark and gritty, so a little bit of fluff was deemed necessary! :3
> 
> Dick: 32  
> Jason: 28  
> Kaden: 8

Jason growled as he climbed in through the window, soaked from head to toe as the rain poured down heavily outside. He cursed and pulled off his helmet, throwing it across the room in frustration. Dick, alerted by the sound, came out of the bedroom, pulling on a black t-shirt; he'd just gotten back home from patrol himself.

“Jason? What's wrong?” Dick asked softly, approaching the man carefully. It wasn't that he was afraid, it was just that, when he was this angry, it was best to approach the situation with caution. Jason had gotten better at controlling his anger, and these days it took a lot to push him to this point, so something bad must've happened. Jason spun on the spot, raking a hand through his hair as he took a few deep breaths to calm himself down.

“That fucking asshole-” _Bruce_ , Dick immediately guessed “-screwed up my god damn mission!” Jason cursed, pacing a little but. Bruce had messed up a few of Jason's missions before, and he'd never gotten this angry, so it had to have been more than that. In all fairness, the two of them still had a bit of a communication problem, especially when it came to their missions. 

Jason turned back to Dick again and threw his arms in the air, words failing him as he attempted to calm himself yet again. Dick sighed sympathetically and touched Jason's shoulder. After a few seconds, he stripped the man of his soaked, black leather jacket without so much as a fuss, and hung it on the coat rack.

“It's more than that, Jay. Talk to me,” Dick whispered, wrapping his arms around the man's waist. His shirt was a little wet, but the jacket got the brunt of it. It didn't matter though, because Jason needed this. Jason heaved a sigh, peeling off his gloves and kicking off his boots, then scrubbed his face with his hands.

“That self-righteous prick. He feels this excessive need to remind me of my past mistakes,” Jason snapped, pulling away from Dick and retreating to the bedroom. Dick let him go, but followed after him, keeping silent, letting the man talk, letting him get it out. “yeah, I've killed people. Even tried killing him a couple times, but I've changed,” Jason said, spinning around on the spot. “I've been fucking trying to clean up my act! But it's never going to be good enough for that fuck!”

“What he thinks, shouldn't matter though, Jaybird,” Dick replied, stopping before the man and giving him a supportive smile. He cupped the man's jaw and gently brushed his thumb over his cheek. Jason sighed and leaned into the touch. “You know Bruce; he can be a complete jerk and god knows how many times he and I have argued. He just...” Dick paused for a moment and bit his lip, thinking back to all the times he and Bruce had argued. “He knows us too well. He knows where to hit us to make it hurt. You know he doesn't mean it, and he'll probably apologize in his own, unapologetic way.” Jason snorted in amusement; there was truth to those words. 

“Yeah, I guess. It's just so god damn-”  
“Frustrating?” Dick filled in with a small smile. Jason smiled slightly, having calmed at last, and gave a nod. “Well, he wouldn't be Bruce if he wasn't an insufferable jerk at times.” Jason chuckled at the comment, nodding at the truth in the words. Suddenly, he found himself falling back onto the bed and gave a yelp of surprise. Dick flashed him a rather seductive grin as he knelt down in front of the man.

“Kaden's visiting Roy and Lian, so we've got the place to ourselves,” Dick said softly, pushing Jason's shirt up a little and kissing the skin there, just above the pantline. “Bruce might sometimes be an unappreciative ass, but I...” he paused for a moment, pulling down the zipper on Jason's jeans “I'll show you how much I appreciate you.” Jason groaned slightly, propping himself up on his elbows to watch. He bit his lip as he watched his husband unzip his pants with his teeth. Dick locked eyes with the man as he undid the button and slowly pulled the man's jeans and boxer-briefs off his hips, pushing them down past his knees, leaving Jason almost bare. 

Dick grinned up at the man ad he took the head of his dick past his lips, sucking it lightly as he gripped the man's balls with one hand. Jason's head fell back against the bed, one hand gripping the sheets and the other, his hair, as Dick slid his mouth down his length. He groaned at that hot, wet heat enveloped him, moaned as Dick squeezed his balls, whimpered when it all suddenly stopped. He opened his eyes again and watched as Dick stripped off his shirt then climbed into Jason's lap.

“Forget Bruce,” Dick said softly, leaning down and kissing Jason's neck. He grabbed the bottom of his shirt, tugging it up and off, tossing it onto the floor. Jason pressed a kiss to Dick's chest, wriggling free of his pants and underwear. He undid the button and the zip on Dick's pants, and on cue, Dick shed them, laying bare on top of Jason and pressing his lips against Jason's in a slow, passionate kiss.

Jason slipped his tongue into the other man's mouth, groaning as Dick ground his hips against his, their erections grinding and providing a delicious friction that had Jason moaning into the kiss. Dick smiled into the kiss and reached for the nightstand, pulling out a bottle of lube. He sat up and urged Jason onto his stomach.

“Oh, feeling bossy tonight?” Jason asked with a teasing grin. Dick smirked slightly, shushing the man.

“Sssh. Don't talk. Just enjoy,” Dick replied, slipping a couple of lubed fingers inside Jason. Jason groaned as Dick prepared him, once again feeling the man's body against his. That familiar warmth of skin against skin, Dick's body pressed against his own. He could feel lips against his neck, his shoulder, his back. Every kiss was as light as a feather against his skin, loving, _appreciative_. Jason sighed contentedly, followed by a little whine as Dick withdrew his fingers. Dick positioned himself at Jason's entrance, his hands on either side of Jason to hold him up as he leaned down and placed a lingering kiss to Jason's upper back.

“Are you ready?” he asked softly. Another contented sigh and a nod from Jason, and Dick pushed himself inside. Jason groaned at the feeling of being penetrated, of feeling Dick's weight against his back. His own hips responded, pushing back to meet Dick's, giving a moan when he felt Dick fully inside him. For what seemed like an eternity, Dick remained motionless, his hands caressing Jason's skin, so much love in every touch. He could once again feel lips on his back as Dick started moving, slowly.

Dick thrust his hips in a a slow, languid motion, pulling out of Jason to the tip, then slowly sliding back in. Slow, gentle, every touch meant to show how much he appreciated his husband, every movement and thrust meant to show Jason how much he loved him.

When it came to sex, it was no secret that Jason loved it rough, fast, and hard. He was damn near shameless when it came to his sex life. But what he kept secret, was that he, Jason Todd, had always enjoyed it slow and gentle. And Dick knew just which buttons to push, how to _take care of him_. Dick was a very affectionate lover, almost always catering to whatever Jason was feeling at the moment. Right now, though he'd never say it out loud, Jason just wanted to feel loved, appreciated, _wanted_. Bruce had a way of making him feel the opposite, and while it was true that he generally didn't care what Bruce thought of him, it was still _frustrating_ , because _dammit_ , he was _trying_.

“I love you Jason,” Dick whispered in the man's ear, nibbling at an ear lobe as he continued the slow, gentle pace, his hips thrusting slowly, aiming for that bundle of nerves inside his lover's body. Jason moaned lowly, his fingers clenching in the sheets, Dick's fingers entwining with his own. “Regardless of what Bruce thinks,” Dick said softly, gently kissing Jason's back “you make me happy. You make me proud.” Jason gasped as Dick pressed against his prostate, arching his back and pushing back against Dick as the man ground against that spot. “No matter what he says,” another kiss on Jason's back “or no matter what he does,” a kiss on his shoulder “just know that I love you, and I appreciate you.”

Jason gasped again as Dick's thrusts sped up slightly. He felt a hand travel beneath him, pulling him up onto all fours, felt both his hands exploring his chest and stomach. Jason arched his back again as Dick drove forward, feeling the man's lips against his neck, sucking up marks wherever they went.

“You're good enough for me, forever and always,” Dick whispered into his ear, his hand gripping Jason's cock and giving it a few firm strokes. Pants and moans filled the room as Dick picked up the pace, but keeping is nice and gentle, just how Jason secretly (not so much) loved it.

“Fuck, Dickie...it's so unfair when you-aah-know just what to say,” Jason breathed, earning a chuckle from Dick, who buried his face in the crook of the man's neck as he peppered his husband's skin in feather light kisses. 

“Well, I know what you like, too,” Dick retorted. Jason opened his mouth for a comeback, but instead, all that came out was a loud moan as Dick drove back into him hard, hammering his prostate with repeated, rapid thrusts. Dick leaned against Jason's back, holding him tight as he thrust harder, faster, pants and moans filling the room as the two of them drew nearer and nearer to orgasm.

“Dickie, I'm-” Jason managed before he broke off in a cry of pleasure as he came hard, coating Dick's hand. Dick thrust into Jason a few more times before he followed him over the precipice, the sound muffled, his face buried in the crook of Jason's neck as he came inside him.

Jason collapsed onto the bed, breathing heavily, with Dick still on top of him, inside him. After a few moments of basking in the after glow, Dick pulled out of him and reached over for some tissues, cleaning them up. Jason heaved a contented sigh, resting his head on his arms as he looked over at Dick.

“Huh, that was amazing. Maybe I need to argue with Bruce more often,” Jason teased a little breathlessly. Dick chuckled in amusement and lay down beside him, snuggling up against his lover's body. Jason breathed deeply and wrapped his arms around Dick and tugged him close.

“Love you, Jaybird,” Dick said to him, pressing a chaste kiss to his lips. Jason hummed contentedly, pulling Dick back for another kiss, their lips melting together perfectly in a passionate kiss.

“Yeah, I know. What's not to love,” Jason joked, earning a light jab in his side and a laugh from Dick.

“And just like that, he's back.”


	25. Brother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Damian and Kaden don't get along very well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: More Kaden and Damian moments
> 
> This was a little fun to write. Short, but fun. ^_^ The prompt was made ages ago and I can't remember by who. And I'm too lazy to go looking back through all the comments throughout the series. xD

Damian blocked a punch from Kaden so the boy cartwheeled backwards, grinning like the Cheshire Cat as Damian retaliated with a jab of his own. They were training in the gym of Wayne Manor, as usual. Kaden had been learning to fight, to defend himself, from his dad, his papa, and his half-brother for years. Now ten, he was quite skilled. 

“Don’t get cocky. Just because your circus clown father taught you some flashy acrobatic movies, doesn’t mean you’re any good,” Damian said flatly, crossing his arms over his chest. Kaden frowned and shook his head, pointing at Damian.

“Hey, don’t talk about papa like that! And besides, you can’t deny I’m getting better, Damian!” Kaden snapped back. Damian snorted and waved his hand dismissively.

“Pfft. You’re not on my league and you’ll never be on my league. You’re a mistake so I wouldn’t be surprised if you never get any better. Not that you’re good now. Mediocre at best,” Damian snapped back. Kaden frowned and lunged at Damian, swinging his fists at the teen. Damian snorted and blocked the attacks with ease.

“You definitely have your father’s anger issues,” Damian said flatly, unimpressed as he tripped the boy up and pinned him to the mat “but unfortunately, not his skill or control. You’re hopeless.”

“Get off me!”

“Admit defeat and I’ll let you up.”

“Damian, that’s enough,” came Bruce’s voice. Damian and Kaden looked up to see Bruce in the doorway. Damian snorted and got up off of the boy. Kaden pushed himself up and shot Damian a glare.

“You’re a real jerk, y’know that?”

“You mean I’m just better than you in every way and you’re jealous?” Damian barbed back with a grin. Kaden snorted in reply and stormed out of the gym. He stopped by the door way and looked back over his shoulder.

“You know, when you were really mean, you didn’t like it when Uncle Tim judged you. You didn’t think it was fair,” Kaden said before he left the room. Damian quirked an eyebrow and Bruce gave a slight smile at him.

“He’s right you know, Damian. Tim didn’t trust you for the longest time and you didn’t like it. How do you think Kaden feels? You should know.” Damian snorted and waved his hand dismissively before retreating from the room.

* * * * *

Alfred stopped the car outside of Gotham Academy. It was going to be Kaden’s first day here; he was starting fifth grade this year. Gotham Academy was a prestigious kindergarten to grade 12 school that was difficult to get into. Though even without being the grandson of Bruce Wayne, Kaden would still have qualified on his own.

“And here we are. Enjoy your first day of school,” Alfred said, glancing back at the two boys in the rear view mirror. Damian scoffed and got out of the car, shoving Kaden out of his way, Kaden glared after him before getting out of the car and looking up at the school building before him. He glanced back at Alfred who simply flashed a smile before driving away from the school.

“Hurry up. You don’t want to be late for the first day,” Damian called back to him. Kaden snorted and glared at Damian.

“Why do you care?”

“About you? I don’t. I just don’t want you to make me look bad by association,” Damian replied, making his way up to the school building. Kaden glared after him and reluctantly followed.

Damian passed by some fellow students who bumped into him. Damian glared at them and they just grinned. Then they turned their attention on Kaden.

“Look, it’s one of the new kids!” said one of the older boys.

“Yeah, Kaden Todd-Grayson. His dad is one of those filthy gypsies,” the other taunted. Kaden scowled but ignored the comment, pushing past the boys.

“Yeah, and his other dad is a street rat! He’s a gay boy!” another boy jabbed. One of the teens grabbed his backpack and yanked him backwards. Kaden fell over backward and glared up at the teens before him.

Kaden wanted to hit them, but he promised his parents he wouldn’t fight. He growled at them but chose to ignore them. Then another of the boys took a threatening step toward him.

“Listen kid-”

“Let him go,” came Damian’s voice. Kaden looked up in surprise to see Damian glaring at the boys.

“Piss off Wayne. This doesn’t involve you,” one of them growled. Damian snorted.

“Actually it does. That’s my half brother you’re picking on.”

“You’re related to this piece of trash?” one of them said with a laugh. Damian scowled and shoved the boy away, holding out his hand to Kaden. Kaden hesitated before taking Damian’s hand and letting the boy help him up.

“First of all, he’s not trash. And second of all-” Damian said, taking a threatening step toward the boys “step off and leave him alone, or else.” Damian gestured for Kaden to follow him and he did.

“Why did you help me? I thought you hated me,” Kaden asked, quirking an eyebrow. Damian snorted, waving his hand dismissively.

“Don’t read too much into it. I hate bullies. I would’ve preferred to kick their asses, but father would be...displeased to hear I got into a fight on the first day of school,” Damian answered. Kaden frowned at the very-Damian-esque response, but didn’t pursue the issue.

“You should tell someone by the way. Like the Principal, or your parents.”

“No. It’s fine,” Kaden protested immediately. Damian groaned and scrubbed his face with his hand.

“You’re as stubborn and prideful as your father.”

“Don’t tell, Damian.”

“Fine.”

* * * * *

School came to an end and Damian and Kaden waited patiently outside the school to be picked up. To their surprise, Bruce was driving a black Lamborghini.

“Grandpa, what’re you doing here?” Kaden asked in surprise through the rolled down passenger’s seat window. Bruce flashed a smile and shrugged.

“I can’t pick up my boys from school?” he asked. Kaden smiled and hopped into the backseat, Damian jumping into the passenger’s seat.

“Buckle up,” Bruce called. Damian rolled his eyes, but obeyed as did Kaden. They went first to Kaden’s apartment building and dropped the little boy off.

“Good bye Kaden. And tell your parents I said hi!” Bruce called, waving goodbye to the boy.

“By grandpa!” Kaden called cheerily before making his way inside. They pulled away from the building and headed back for the manor.

“Damian. I heard what happened in school today,” Bruce said evenly. Damian quirked an eyebrow at him.

“How did you - nevermind,” Damian said.

“Thank you for standing up for Kaden today. But I’m curious; why did you?” Bruce asked. Damian snorted and waved his hand dismissively.

“Because I don’t like bullies.”

“Or perhaps because you like your brother more than you’re willing to admit.”

“Pfft. As if,” Damian snorted. Bruce smiled at the teen briefly before turning his attention back to the road.

“You can’t fool me, Damian. You don’t hate him as much as you profess to,” Bruce answered. Damian growled and glared out the window as the manor came into view.

“Okay, fine. He’s not all bad. Annoying, stubborn, arrogant-”

“Just like you,” Bruce pointed out. Damian glared at his father, but Bruce was unperturbed. He glanced at Damian as they came to a stop in front of the manor.

“You’re both share the same mother. It’s no surprise you share similarities,” Bruce began, but Damian interrupted.

“No. We share a mother and that’s all-”

“He’s your brother-”

“Half-brother”

“-and you love him like one, despite how mean and hateful you act toward him.” Damian snorted again and hopped out of the car, pulled the bag over his shoulder.

“Whatever,” he replied, attempted to leave, but Bruce stopped him once more, following him out of the car and resting a hand upon his shoulder.

“Damian. Promise me you’ll at least make an effort to be kinder to the boy. He’s only ten, and honestly? He admires you.”

“What?” Damian asked in surprise. Bruce chuckled in amusement and led him inside.

“Oh yes. I’ve seen it. Have you ever noticed how much effort he puts into training against you?” Damian frowned and looked down at the ground.

“No. I havne’t. But...” Damian paused for a moment staring at the ground as he recalled what Kaden had said to him earlier that morning abd Tim not trusting him, about how he used to treat him. The boy’s words rang true, he hated it, and he was treating Kaden even worse than Tim had treated him.

“Fine. I will try to be nicer to Kaden. Happy now?” Damian asked haughtily. Bruce nodded.

“Very,” he replied, watching as Damian strutted through the doors of the manor.


	26. Lian's List

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lian writes out a list detailing, in her eyes, Roy's perfect date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mykael and I were IM'ing and we stumbled onto this silly notion of Lian writing Roy a list - like Michael and Jane Banks did for their nanny - for what she would consider Roy's perfect date, but it was really Jason and Dick all along. 
> 
> This takes place five years after Jason and Dick made their relationship with Roy permanent and five years after Roy told Lian, but three years before Dick and Jason would tell Kaden (see Expansion, Chapter 18.) I wanted Roy and Lian to have a very close relationship, where they could joke, yet have serious talks.

Lian: 13

Roy: 35

._._._.

"Pumpkin, come on, it's time for lunch!" Roy called out as he took out two bowls, two spoons, a box of Trixter cereal, and milk. 

"Daddy, I am _not_ a pumpkin! How many times do I have to tell you that!" Lian complained as she popped herself up onto a bar stool at the kitchen peninsula. She set down a pieces of paper before she took the proffered bowl and spoon from her dad, poured herself a bowl of cereal and added milk to it. 

"Lian, what do have you there?" Roy asked curiously, sitting across from her.

Lian grinned and brought the papers closer to her, "It's Daddy's List!"

A ginger eyebrow lifted. "For?"

"Dating people!" she replied enthusiastically as she inhaled her cereal. 

Roy took a deep breath in and let it all out. Where did Lian get this controlling behavior? Oh wait...now he remembered. Damn that woman. 

"Go ahead, Lian. Out with it."

Lian pushed her empty bowl out of the way and brought the papers in front of her. She had written her list in varying shades of blue and red gel pens. She readjusted herself in her seat and tightened her ponytail - because Daddy just could not braid like Jay - before she began.

"Number one: no girls."

"WHAT? What do you mean no girls, pumpkin? I happen to like girls, as well as guys."

Lian gave her father what could only be called a Batglare and replied, "Yep, Dad, I know. And how have all of those turned out?"

Roy stared at his kid, dumbfounded. How did she know about how his relationship with her mother ended? Kori? The other girls he made sure _did not_ come to his apartment? Oh, his girl was most definitely sneaky. 

"Besides, a baby in the house? Ewwwwwww."

"Fine, you have a point there. Go on," Roy said, pouring himself another bowl of Trixter.

"Number two: Must be a vigilante. I won't listen to another message asking where you are during prime vigilante hours. It's depressing. Number three, _he_ must have a good ass."

"What did I tell you about swearing, young lady?" he said sternly, pointing his finger at her/

"But-"

"No buts. I don't care if I swear or Gramps swears or anyone else swears, you are not swearing until you are 30."

"Fifteen."

"25."

"20."

"Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine," she whined.

"What was the next thing on that list of yours?" he asked, taking the bowls and spoons to the sink. 

She sighed, and lifted the sheet up, "Number four: He can cook, unlike someone else I know." She pointedly looked at her father.

"Hey! I haven't burned the house down like Jason! He once burned one of our safehouses down when we were younger. Give me some credit, kid," Roy replied, bopping her on the nose with a barbeque tongs as he unloaded the dishwasher. 

"Number five, he can braid my hair." Roy lifted an eyebrow; this guy was starting to sound familiar. She flipped to the next page.

"Number six, he must live in Gotham. Number seven, he must like red and blue. Number eight -"

"Wait, you just want me to be with Dick and Jason, don't you, pumpkin?" Roy asked smugly, hands on his hips, having caught on. 

"BINGO,” she smile, grinning like the devil, “and I told you, I'm not a pumpkin.”

"But, what if Jay and Dick decide they don't want me in their relationship anymore, then what?" he asked seriously.

"You'll just have to beat them over the heads for being idiots, Daddy." 

 


	27. First Crush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Prompt:** Kaden's first crush

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't really remember how this idea came about but I felt like it was worth writing. So here it is, enjoy. :D
> 
> Dick - 37  
> Jason - 35  
> Kaden - 12

Kaden heaved a sigh as he sat at the kitchen table, a dreamy stare on his face, accompanied by a contented smile as he stared out into space. Dick was sitting across the table from him while Jason was busy at the stove, cooking dinner; namely angel hair spaghetti with tomato sauce and meatballs. It was a simple meal to cook, and thus one of the few Dick trusted him with on his own without setting something on fire. They were working on that; some day, Dick was determined to have Jason cooking something more complicated, without the fire hazard. Baby steps.

Dick was reading a book when he heard Kaden sigh. He glanced over the top of his book and smirked at the look on Kaden's face, sharing a look with Jason who was also grinning like the devil. Dick closed his book and set it aside, leaning forward on the table and waving his hand in front of Kaden's face to get his attention.

“Hey Kades! Earth to Kaden!” Dick called playfully, snapping Kaden out of his reverie. Kaden flinched, looking at his papa, and then his dad, noting that they were both looking at him. Jason turned back to his work, and so Kaden rested his chin on his hand again, smile returning as he looked at Dick. “What's up baby bird? You've been acting awfully, dare I say, smitten, today?” Dick asked with an amuse smirk. Kaden sat up right again and blushed a pretty pink color, fidgeting a little in his seat.

“Um...you could say that,” Kaden replied sheepishly. Jason's attention was drawn back to his son while he stirred the pasta, sharing a quick look with Dick and a chuckle of amusement.

“So, you gonna tell us who it is?” Jason asked amusedly. Kaden blushed yet again and rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

“What do you mean?” he asked, feigning ignorance. Dick chuckled in amusement and reached across the table, ruffling his son's hair.

“I think you know what we mean, Little Wing. Tell us, whose caught your eye? Whoever it is, you seem awfully taken by them,” Dick asked with a grin. Kaden's face turned a deeper shade of pink, as he put on a thoughtful look. Then came another dreamy sigh as he leaned against the table, resting his chin on his hand.

“Her name is Alicia. She's so pretty,” Kaden finally said. Jason glanced back at his son, sharing another look with Dick.

“Wow, she must be something special then, huh?” he asked. Kaden glanced over at his father and nodded.

“She's pretty, and nice, and she's got really nice eyes,” Kaden started. He looked back and forth between his dad and papa before staring back out into space “and some day we'll get married and live together forever.” Dick struggled to contain his laughter; this was just too adorable! Their little boy had a crush and he was absolutely taken by this girl! 

“Aawww, that's so adorable Kades,” Dick finally said, unable to hold back any longer as he ruffled the boy's hair.

“Woah,” Jason said smoothly, moving to the kitchen sink to drain the pasta. Dick and Kaden looked in his direction inquisitively. Jason glanced over his shoulder and quirked an eyebrow as he continued. “slow down there, Romeo. How about you try bringing her over to dinner first,” Jason said jokingly. He fixed their plates, then set them down in front of each of his boys, then the tomato sauce and finally his own plate before he joined them at the table. “You're a hopeless romantic like you papa,” Jason said smoothly, gesturing toward Dick. Dick snorted in amusement, playfully poking him in the side with his elbow.

“There's nothing wrong with that Jaybird,” Dick replied with a soft smile. He turned to Kaden and patted the boy's shoulder. “You should ask her out, if you like her so much.” Kaden blushed again and sat upright, poking at his pasta.  
“I...I can't do that...I-I mean, she's so...and I'm-”

“A little heart breaker like your dad?” Jason filled in with a wink and a grin, taking a bite of a meatball. Dick snorted, followed by a playful chuckle. Jason fixed him with a playful glare, and Dick just shrugged. He glanced back over at Kaden and gave him an encouraging smile.

“Go for it baby bird. Ask her out. You'll never know if she likes you too if you don't ask,” Dick added. Kaden smiled widely, face still tinted pink as he stabbed at his meal.

“Okay, I'll try,” Kaden replied.

“Great, just bring her home before you recite your wedding vows,” Jason teased, earning a playful smack from Dick.

“Stop teasing!” he said with a laugh.


	28. Suspended

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaden has been suspended from school for fighting so Jason and Dick go down to the school to find out why... 
> 
> Prompt by Jamie
> 
> Dick - 37  
> Jason - 35  
> Kaden - 12

Dick snuggled up against Jason’s side as they sat on the couch together, watching movies. Dick had the day off and they were both feeling lazy today. Dick was dressed in naught but a pair of blue sweatpants and a white tank top, and Jason in red sweatpants and a black tank top. Nope, today, they were giving up on themselves and just taking a lazy day to relax in their cozy little apartment. And Star apparently had the same idea, as the now six-year-old dog lazily hopped up onto the couch and snuggled up on Jason’s other side, head resting on his knee.

“What is this?” Jason asked, quirking an eyebrow, looking first at Dick, who looked up at him with a little smirk, then at Star, who also glanced up at him and may as well have been smirking too.

“Guess I’m not the only one who thinks you’re cuddly, Jay,” Dick teased, giving the man a little wink. Jason smirked and rolled his eyes, one hand pushing through Dick’s hair, and the other patting Star, who gave a contented sigh. And the three of them were content to stay that way, except that the phone rang.

“D’you wanna get that?” Dick asked Jason. The man rolled his eyes once more and lazily pushed himself up off the couch and padded across the apartment, snatching up the phone.

“Yeah?” he answered, earning a snort from Dick.

“Someway to answer a phone, slob,” Dick muttered in amusement. Jason mouthed back ‘fuck you’, making the man laugh a bit as he sat up on the couch. Star laid her head down on the couch and shot a look at Jason, then grumbled at the loss, which Dick snickered at. 

"Kaden _what?_ ”Jason asked in an annoyed tone, expression darkening a little. Dick sat straight up then, expression turning serious. Was something wrong with Kaden?

“Yeah, we’ll be right there,” Jason answered, hanging up the phone. He sighed heavily and raked his hands through his hair and looked over at Dick.

“Everything okay?” Dick asked. Jason shook his head.

“No. Kaden’s being suspended for fighting.”

“What? That doesn’t sound like Kaden,” Dick replied, rising to his feet and crossing his arms over his chest. They’d taught Kaden to fight years ago after that nightmare with the Joker, but they made him promise not to fight in school, and he never had. So why now all of the sudden?

“Well, regardless, we need to get down to the school,” Jason grumbled, scrubbing his face with his hands. He moved into the bedroom to get dressed with Dick behind him. 

Fully dressed and keys in hand, they made their way out and off to the school.

* * * * *

When Dick and Jason arrived at Gotham Academy, they were led by the Principal’s aid to his office (Jason was quite familiar with it, actually). Inside, sat Kaden with a bloody nose and a few bruises on his face.

“What the hell happened?” Jason asked, kneeling down in front of Kaden. The boy looked away, seemingly ashamed and the principal, a rather large man in a blue suit, cleared his throat to get their attention.

“Mr. Todd, your son was caught fighting with four other students. The other four students claimed he started it-”

“Bullshit,” Jason said immediately, earning a smack on his arm. He glared over at Dick but he could see that the man agreed with him. There was noway Kaden would start a fight.

“As I was saying, they claimed that your son started it. But witnesses to the fight claim the other three boys have been bullying him for months,” the principal finished. Jason spun on the spot and looked at Kaden who averted his eyes from his father in shame.

Jason knelt down in front of the boy and rubbed his arm soothingly.

“Kaden, look at me,” he said in a calm, but firm tone. The boy looked up at him and Jason cupped his cheek, stroking his face with his thumb.

“Why didn’t you tell anyone? Why didn’t you go to a teacher? Or come to me?” Jason asked with genuine concern. Kaden sighed and pulled away from his father’s touch.

“Because I’m your son. I’m not supposed to get bullied,” Kaden replied. Dick groaned softly and face palmed; the kid had inherited one of Jason’s worst traits, his tough guy attitude. But it was also kind of cute. Jason didn’t seem happy about that though.

“Shit, Kaden. Just because of how I...grew up...doesn’t mean you need to be ashamed to tell someone that you’re being bullied, you hear me?” Kaden gave a nod and Jason stood up and glared at the principal.

“So, where are the little bastards who laid a hand on my kid?” Jason growled. Dick moved behind the man and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

“Jason, calm down.”

“No! Someone’s been bullying my fucking kid, I want to know what the fuck’s gonna be done about it! And why the hell is Kaden being suspended for defending himself?!” Jason ground out. The principal sighed and shook his head. 

“We can’t confirm or deny either of their stories, so they’re _all_ being suspended. Your boy sent three other children to the nurse’s office. He’s out for a week,” the principal said with finality. Jason looked pissed, and Dick had to physically pull him out of the room to keep him from exploding.

“Come on Kaden,” Dick called. The boy hopped out of the chair and followed his parents out of the building and to the car. Jason fumed silently the whole way home and Kaden didn’t look at either of them.

But when they finally did get home-

“Okay, spill, what happened?” Jason demanded to know, turning on the spot as soon as Kaden came through the door. Star ran over to Kaden, wagging her tail happily. Kaden smiled and patted the dog on the head, but Jason shooed her away.

“Not now, Star. Be a good girl and go lie down,” he said. The dog whined and slinked out of the room to go lay down in her doggy bed in Kaden’s room. The boy looked up at his father and sighed, raking a hand through his black hair.

“It was nothing, just a stupid fight,” Kaden lied, trying to escape the room, but Dick grabbed him gently, but firmly, by his shoulder to stop him.

“What have we told you about lying?” Dick said. Kaden looked up at the man and sighed yet again, which secretly annoyed Dick because Jason did that all the time too.

“Well...they started calling me names and shoving me around, and I tried to ignore it, tried not to fight like I promised you guys,” Kaden said softly, glancing back between his dad and pa “but, um...” He frowned and fidgeted in place a bit, biting his lip.

“But what?” Jason asked, crossing his arms over his chest. Kaden looked up at his father and sighed again, much to Dick’s annoyance.

“They started saying shit...like...my dad’s a faggot, and I’m a gay baby so I...punched one of them,” Kaden admitted, head bowing again. Jason and Dick exchanged glances and then Jason knelt down in front of the boy.

“You know you can tell us anything, right? And we won’t get mad at you?” Jason asked. Kaden gave a nod. Jason cleared his throat as he prepared himself to ask the next question, one he wasn’t entirely comfortable with asking.

“Are you ashamed of me and Dickie being together?” Jason asked. He knew from the get go that two men, raising a child would be difficult, especially the social aspect of it all. He knew Kaden loved them both, but...

“What?! No! I punched the asshole because he was making fun of my dad and pa!” Kaden exclaimed with a rather alarmed face. He couldn’t really believe his dad would ask that; he’d never been ashamed to have two dads. Jason just smiled at him and hugged him.

“No need to get testy. Even if you were, it wouldn’t change anything, yeah? Now tell me one more thing,” Jason answered him. He looked Kaden right in the eye and asked “how did the fight go?” Dick snorted and Kaden looked at his father as if he had three heads.

“What?” the boy asked, confused.

 

“How did the fight go?” Jason repeated, lips tugging into a smirk. Kaden suddenly felt a bit more confident, chest swelling a little.

“Well, they started throwing punches at me, and calling you guys nasty names, so I...punched the first kid in the face and...well, beat the crap out of the other two. Sent them all crying to the nurse’s office.” Jason laughed and hugged his son.

“There it is! That’s my boy!” Jason said proudly. Dick smiled and rolled his eyes.

“Shouldn’t really be proud of him for sending some kids to the infirmary,” Dick pointed out. Jason snorted and waved his hand dismissively.

“Self-defense Dickie-bird! And fuck what Dick and I said before; you fight when you have to defend yourself, okay?”

“Okay,” Kaden nodded, hugging the both of them.

“Now, let’s go get some pizza to celebrate!” Jason said as he proudly patted his son on the back.

“Alright! Can we go to-”

“We can go anywhere you want, champ!” Jason replied, leading the boy downstairs. Dick smiled after them and grabbed the keys up off of the table.

“Can’t go anywhere without these!”


	29. Hormones

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaden has started puberty, and with it, comes a rush of hormones and mood swings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Prompt by kate1zena:** Moody Hormonal Kaden and JayRoy cuddles
> 
> Jason - 35  
> Roy - 36  
> Dick - 37  
> Kaden - 12

Kaden heaved an exasperated sigh as he came through the door and dumped his bag by the door, marching for his room. It was almost five o'clock when he got home, having stayed after for Gymnastics practice. He was greeted immediately by Star who jumped up on the teen. Kaden chuckled a bit as he patted the dog's head, then made for his bedroom with Star hot on his heels. Jason and Dick were in the kitchen cooking dinner; Dick handled the actual cooking, while Jason handled the preparation. Jason could cook simple things like burgers and steak, but give him anything more complicated that than, and the entire kitchen would quickly become a fire hazard.

“Hey baby bird! Have a good day at school?” Dick asked. Kaden flashed a quick smile and nodded.

“Yeah, fine. Bit exhausted from practice, but it wasn't bad,” Kaden replied, not waiting for a reply before retreating to his room. Jason and Dick exchanged a look before getting back to work on dinner. They were cooking stir fry for dinner tonight. Jason prepared the ingredients while Dick cooked them up in the frying pan. Dick was determined to teach Jason how to cook something other than burgers and fries someday, like Alfred had taught him, but this would work for now.

“Dinner should be ready shortly. Would you go get Kaden?” Dick asked as he moved the ingredients around in the pan. He leaned back and pressed a kiss to Jason's jaw, who replied by wrapping his arms around the man's waist and kissing his neck. “Kaden. Go get Kaden, Jaybird,” Dick replied with a chuckle of amusement. Jason grinned against the man's neck, sucking up a mark before making his way to his son's room.

“Buzz kill,” Jason teased.

“Behave,” Dick replied with a smirk.

“Never,” Jason shot back with a wink and a grin. Jason rubbed the back of his neck and huffed in annoyance after nearly tripping over Kaden's shoes. He kicked the shoes into the hall closet and made a mental note to scold Kaden about leaving his crap lying in the middle of the floor later. 

“Kaden, dinner will be ready shortly,” Jason called through the door. He got no answer, save for Star's scratching on the other side. He cracked the door open and the dog raced out, tail wagging, for her food bowl. Jason smiled slightly as the dog raced past him, closing the door behind her and making his way to the kitchen table.

Kaden dragged himself out a few minutes later, feet shuffling across the floor just as Dick finished setting their places.

“Looks good Dickie,” Jason said smoothly, stabbing at a piece of broccoli and chicken. Dinner was mostly silent, which was unusual since Kaden was usually quite talkative. The preteen was barely touching his dinner, taking a bite here or there but mostly pushing it around his plate. Dick and Jason exchanged a look, then Jason cleared his throat.

“So, Kades,” Jason began, taking a bite of his food “how was school?” Kaden gave an annoyed sigh as he toyed with a piece of chicken.

“It was fine, dad.”  
“D'you do all your homework?” Dick asked. Kaden growled and slammed his fist on the table.

“God, yes! Will you get off my case?! It's done, alright?!” Kaden snapped angrily. Dick and Jason were both taken aback by the sudden outburst. Jason shot the teen a confused look, one eyebrow arched as he leaned forward slightly to look at his son.

“Woah, calm down Cujo, papa just asked a question. Take your attitude down a notch,” Jason said to him.  
“Whatever,” Kaden growled and pushed himself up from the table, glaring at his parents. Jason glared back and pushed himself up as well, staring down his son and Dick massaged his temples, the whole thing getting frustrating.

“Don't take that tone of voice with me, kid,” Jason said in a low, threatening tone. Kaden glared at his father, then snorted and stormed off to his room. Jason sunk down into his seat and massaged his head, fighting an impending headache. Dick pushed himself up fro the table and paced a bit, frustrated. Kaden had been moody and bratty for the last couple of weeks now; Dick was frustrated and Jason was at his wits end with the kid's attitude.

“Ugh, this is so damn frustrating,” Jason growled. Dick heaved a sigh and settled behind Jason, wrapping his arms around the man from behind and kissing his head.

“I know, and I know it's hard, but you've got to try and restrain yourself with him. He's going through a phase,” Dick said softly. Jason snorted and glanced at the man over his shoulder.

“A phase, I could handle. This is...I don't know what this is.” Dick chuckled in amusement as he massaged Jason's shoulders. The man gave a slight moan as he tilted his head back a bit and sighed.

“I think what you need is to get away for a bit. Maybe drop by Star City and hang out with Roy for a few hours or something,” Dick suggested as he continued to rub Jason's shoulders, placing feather light kisses along the man's jaw and neck. Jason sighed and pushed away from Dick so he could turn in his seat and look at the man.

“Are you sure? I don't wanna leave you here to deal with this shit alone? It wouldn't be fair,” Jason replied. Dick chuckled in amusement and gently pulled Jason back into his chair and continued massaging his shoulders.

“It's alright Jaybird. It'll only be for a few hours. But if you want to stay longer, I can always take Kaden to the manor. I'm sure Alfred would help me. He's dealt with bratty teens before, Jason,” Dick replied, giving Jason an amused look. Jason snickered in amusement and shrugged his shoulders.

“Who me? Nah, I was a good kid,” Jason joked. Dick snorted with suppressed laughter.

“Yes, you. And me. And Tim. And Damian. All of us,” Dick replied. Jason heaved a sigh and leaned back in his chair.

“Alright. I guess I could use a break. I'm just so frustrated with the kid and-,” Jason replied, but Dick interrupted with a kiss, pressing his lips gently against Jason's as his hand settled on the man's chest, just beneath the collar of his shirt. Jason kissed back, smiling against Dick's lips

“I know, I get it. This'll be good for you. You'll see. Roy will take good care of you.” Dick replied with a little smirk. “Just be sure to share the details,” he purred. Jason snorted and rolled his eyes. His husband could be such a perv.

._._._._.

Jason gave a knock on the door of Roy's apartment, having taken the hidden zeta tube beside his apartment building to Star City. He heard foot steps on the other side and was greeted by a smiling Lian Harper.

“Uncle Jay! Oh it's so good to see you,” she said cheerily, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing his cheek. Jason smiled, chuckling in amusement as he hugged the girl back.

“It's good to see you too baby girl,” Jason replied, kissing her forehead. He looked over her attire then and quirked an eyebrow. She wore a small white tube top that didn't quite cover her stomach, a black miniskirt, and a pair of black bedazzled platform shoes. “What the hell are you wearing?” Lian looked herself over and smiled.

“Do you like it? I'm going out on a date!” she said cheerily.

“Not in that outfit you're not,” both Jason and Roy said in unison. Lian looked back and forth between the two of them and sighed, retreating to her room.

“Go change into something decent, little girl,” Roy called after her. He grinned at Jason and invited the man inside, hugging him as the man closed the door behind himself. “Jaybird, good of you to drop by!” Roy gestured to the living room and Jason sat down on the couch while Roy went into the kitchen.

“Your place looks nice, Roy. Lian finally bust your ass to clean the place?” Jason teased. Roy laughed from the kitchen and made his way into the living room, tossing a beer to Jason who caught it out of the air.

“Yeah, baby girl finally put her foot down about me being a bit of a slob. Said I was too busy playing with my toys and tools,” Roy said with a laugh. Jason grinned and shook his head, scooting over for Roy to sit beside him.

“Still tinkering with your weapons and shit, I see. Glad some things never change,” Jason replied. Roy gave a nod.

“I'll drink to that” he said, the two of them clinking their glasses together.

“Okay, I'm going out now!” Lian called. Roy and Jason called her over in unison and the teen rolled her eyes as she made her way into the living room to show off her outfit. She wore a white spaghetti shirt with a floral pattern on it, a red jacket, bedazzled jeans and black ankle boots.

“Better. Have fun sweetheart,” Roy called. Lian couldn't stay mad at her dad, or her uncle/other dad (as she occasionally referred to him as) and hugged the both of them before heading for the door. “Remember to be home by 10!” Roy called after her. Roy sighed and leaned back on the couch, sipping his beer as he flipped on a movie. The friends spent the next hour or two poking holes in the action and the plot. They also traded jokes, barbs and laughs. But once the movie neared its end, Roy decided it was time to cut to the heart of the matter.

“So, kid troubles, huh?” Roy asked with a smirk.

“Dick call ahead of me?” Jason asked, sipping his beer. Roy chuckled in amusement and nodded.

“Yep.” Jason heaved a sigh and raked a hand through his hair.

“I just don't get it Roy. When the hell did my kid turn into a nightmare?! He was a cute, lovable brat just a year ago!” Jason said with an exasperated sigh, glancing over at Roy from the movie. Roy chuckled in amusement and reclined on the couch. He looked over at Jason with a smirk.

“It's called 'puberty' Jaybird. He's getting that first rush of hormones and he can't hand shit,” Roy replied. Jason groaned and scrubbed his face with his hands.

“Puberty. Great. I don't remember Lian being this bad though,” Jason mumbled. Roy snorted a few times with barely suppressed laughter at the thought.

"You don't? You don't remember the crazy, mood-swinging, 'Dad, I'm not going out with my red-bedazzled hi-tops!', stomping, door breaking stage? Hm, you must have missed something,” Roy joked. Jason grinned and shook his head, sipping his beer again.

“Okay, so maybe I remember some of that,” he replied. Roy smirked at him and put his beer down on the table and crawled over to Jason, pressing his lips to the man's neck.

“You just gotta relax Jaybird. Relax and unwind. It's just a phase,” Roy murmured. Jason moaned slightly at the feeling of Roy's lips on his neck before he gently pushed the red head off of him. Roy grinned and gave a shrug as Jason quirked an eyebrow at him.

“You hitting on me Harper?” Jason asked with a teasing tone.

“Maybe a little.”

“Horny fuck,” Jason replied with a laugh when Roy returned to kissing at Jason's neck. He planted a few more where neck met shoulder before he turned Jason on the couch and tugged at his shirt. Jason looked back over his shoulder at Roy who flashed him an innocent smile.

“Just a massage. It'll help you get that stress out.”

“Yeah, so does sex, Roy,” Jason quipped, to which Roy busted out laughing as he tugged Jason's shirt off and pushed him onto his stomach. He straddles the man's hips, one leg dangling over the edge of the couch, and sipped his beer.

“Well, as much fun as sex with you would be, I don't think it's what you need,” Roy replied. Jason snorted and closed his eyes, resting his chin on his arms as Roy kneaded the flesh and muscle on his back and shoulders beneath his hands. Jason groaned as h heard his back crack and felt the other man working the knots out. “You're carrying a fuckton of stress here. Seems a massage is exactly what you need. And cuddles later, if you're up for it.” Roy smiled at the man as he leaned down and pressed a kiss to his bare back. Jason hummed contentedly, remaining silent as he allowed Roy to continue.

._._._._.

Jason yawned and stretched a bit as lances of light pierced the window. He became keenly away of a body pressed against his back, bare skin meeting bare skin. He felt a strong arm around his waist and shifted on the couch to see Roy behind him, fast asleep. He hadn't drank a lot last night so he only had a mild hangover but he wasn't quite ready to getup yet, but he figured he should get home. He heaved a sigh and carefully slid off of the couch, trying not to wake Roy. Alas, that was not to be so.

“Mmm, you awake Jaybird?” Roy muttered tiredly, followed by a yawn. Jason glanced back over his shoulder at Roy as he pulled his shirt back on.

“Yeah. Fell asleep I guess. I had intended to head home, but I guess that's not happening,” Jason joked. Roy chuckled in amusement and stretched out on the couch. He heaved a sigh before he pulled himself up and grabbed up his own shirt.

“See? I told you a massage and a bit of cuddling would do you some good,” Roy said with a smirk. Jason rolled his eyes as he padded into the kitchen with Roy behind him.

“I suppose. I _do_ feel better, mild hangover aside,” Jason replied. Lian was already wide awake, cooking breakfast and making a pot of coffee.

“Morning,” she said sweetly as she glanced at the two of them over her shoulder.

“Morning baby girl,” Jason mumbled, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he grabbed a coffee cup and poured himself a cup of coffee. Roy came up from behind him and kissed his neck, wrapped his arms around his waist.

“Glad I could make you feel better. Drop by any time. Maybe we can have a little more fun,” Roy purred into the man's neck. Jason smiled to himself as he sipped his coffee.

“Oh I bet you'd like that. I should get home though before Dick gets antsy,” Jason answered. Roy chuckled in amusement, followed by a slight whine as his daughter pulled him away from Jason and pushed him into a seat at the table.

“Dad, behave yourself. I don't want to see you dry humping Uncle Jay in the kitchen,” Lian scolded, placing a plate in front of him.

“Hey, cut me some slack! I have more decency than that!” he replied.

“No you don't,” Jason teased as Lian led him to the table.

“At least stay for breakfast uncle Jay. You don't come by enough!” she said to him, placing a plate in front of him. So Jason obliged Lian and joined them for breakfast before he headed home. When he got back, Dick was sprawled out on the couch, reading a book. The man looked up from his book and flashed Jason a smile.

“Have fun last night?” Dick asked with a seductive edge in his tone. Jason smirked and rolled his eyes, hanging up his jacket and kicking off his boots.

“Not the kind you were hoping for, pervert,” Jason replied as he made his way to the living room. Dick moved over for him and Jason snuggled into the couch beside him. “Y'know, it's kind of ironic; you always calling me the perv. I think you're as bad as I am.” Dick made a mock offended noise.

“Me? Never!”

“Yes you,” Jason replied, pressing a kiss to his jaw. Kaden came out of his room moments later prompting Jason to sit up right. Kaden caught sight of his father and rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

“Dad, I uh...wanted to say sorry...for last night. I know I was kind of a brat-”

“Don't worry about it kiddo. C'mere,” Jason interrupted, calling the teen over. Kaden approached his father and Jason pulled him into a hug, kissing his head. Kaden giggled a bit as he playfully shoved away from his father.


	30. Flying Like A Grayson

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Prompt by Bluerose1085:** "Would love to see a story where a younger Kaden is introduced to Dick and his acrobatics, like when he starts first teaching him."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mmm, I've been wanting to write something fluffy, and I can't believe I hadn't thought of this before. It's not _exactly _as requested, but this is what came out, and I think it works well, no? Anyway, enjoy the cavities! xD__
> 
>  
> 
> __  
> _Dick: 38_  
>  Jason: 35  
> Kaden: 13  
> 

“Very good Kaden, but I think you can do better! Give it another go, and out some more heart into it!” Dick called, clapping as the teen dropped down onto the mat from the horizontal bar, sticking a perfect landing. Kaden smiled over at his papa and gave a nod, padding across the mat and grabbing up a water bottler.

“Thanks, but I gave that one all I had,” Kaden replied a little skeptically. Dick smiled at the teen and padded over toward him, patting him on his shoulder. 

“Kaden, I’ve been watching and training you since you were a little boy. Trust me; you can do better. Give it one more go, and then we’ll move on to something else, alright?”

“Alright,” Kaden replied with a nod. He took a deep breath and made his way over to the bar again. He’d asked Dick to help him train for the upcoming gymnastics competition and Dick was more than happy to oblige. They’d been training for the last week with Dick doing some routines right along side him, showing the teen a few things he could use at the competition. Today, however, Dick wanted to push Kaden to his limits; he saw himself in the boy whenever he got on a bar or a pommel horse and just knew Kaden could go further.

Dick smiled fondly as he watched Kaden begin another routine, and a wave of nostalgia washed over him.

_Dick had the day off from work and was spending the whole day playing with little Kaden. The boy was only three at the time and got an absolute kick out of any display of Dick’s acrobatics. They were at the park and Kaden was giggling and clapping hysterically as Dick hand walked around the little boy, showing of a little bit by doing a couple of flips and cartwheels. Kaden loved every moment of it, if his cries of ‘again, again!’ were anything to judge by._

_“I wanna try too!” Kaden chortled. The little boy tipped himself upside down in an attempt to do a hand stand, but flipped right over and landed on his butt. Kaden huffed and crossed his arms over his chest, glaring at the ground. Dick chuckled in amusement and knelt down in front of the little boy, hugging him to his chest and kissing the top of his head._

_“Aw, Little Wing, you’ll get it some day! But for now, how about if I help?” Dick asked with a broad smile. Kaden smiled widely as his papa grabbed his little ankles and tipped him upside down. Kaden giggled happily as he placed his hands on the ground and Dick helped him do a little hand walk._

Dick couldn’t help the wide, prideful grin that spread across his face when Kaden finished up another routine, flipping high into the air, over the bar and twisting through the air like a corkscrew, performing a perfect landing on the mat.

“Much better Kaden, much better!” Dick exclaimed, clapping for the teen who gave a cheeky grin. The teen stretched his arms a bit while he padded off the mat, giving a tired sigh as he sat down on the bench, Dick beside him. Dick sighed and patted Kaden on the back as the teen opened a power bar and took a bite, swallowing it down with a swig of water. He glanced over and happened to catch Dick smiling at him.

“What?” he asked, with a smile of his own. Dick chuckled in amusement and wrapped an arm around Kaden’s shoulders.

“Just…thinking. Remembering when we started your training,” Dick answered, another wave of nostalgia washing over him.

 _Kaden was six now and had made it_ very _clear when he was five, that he wanted to be an acrobat like papa. So for the first year, Dick taught Kaden the same way his parents taught him; by actually doing the training with him. They’d spent most of the year practicing different moves and skills, without equipment, and now, Dick and Kaden were in Bruce’s personal gym, and Dick was coaching Kaden on a pommel horse._

_Dick was using one right beside him, going through a routine while coaching Kaden when the little boy missed the handle after a spin and fell onto the mat, bumping his arm against the bar. Dick jumped off immediately and knelt down beside Kaden as the little boy rubbed his arm._

_“Kades! Are you okay?!” Dick asked, hovering over him as he checked him over to make sure he was alright._

_“I’m okay. Arm is numb. Hit my funny bone,” Kaden replied. Dick breathed a sigh of relief and combed his fingers through the little boy’s hair affectionately. “Why do they call it a funny bone? It’s not very funny,” Kaden observed with a little frown, earning a laugh from Dick. Dick ruffled the boy’s hair and pulled him up to his feet._

_“You got me there Kades. How about we take a little break?”_

_“It’s okay, I can keep going,” Kaden replied with a bright smile. Dick paused for a moment before smiling back and mounting up on the pommel horse for another routine._

_“Alright Little Wing, but don’t push yourself too hard, okay?”_

_“Okay!”_

Kaden giggled a bit as he too, took a stroll down memory lane with Dick. He hopped up off of the bench and headed toward the pommel horse, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

“Hey Kades, maybe you should slow down and rest a bit. You don’t want to push yourself too hard,” Dick advised, pushing himself up off of the bench. He patted the teen’s shoulders and looked toward the pommel horse, that old memory replaying in his mind again.

“Nah, I’ll be fine. You worry too much Papa,” Kaden replied with a wide grin.

“That’s my job, Little Wing,” Dick replied with a laugh, following behind Kaden.

The teen chuckled in amusement and hopped up onto the pommel horse, pushing himself up and holding a handstand as he looked at Dick and smiled.

“Well, I am a Grayson. We live to fly, right?” Kaden asked, pulling a few advanced moves before pushing himself up into the air and doing a triple somersault, into a perfect landing on the mat. Dick smiled proudly and cupped the teen’s cheek affectionately.

“Yeah, we do Kades. But it never hurts to take a break now and then,” Dick replied, wrapping his arm around the teen’s shoulder and leading him out of the gym. “And hey, maybe some day, I’ll teach you the trapeze. Show you what it’s _really_ like to fly like a Grayson.”


	31. The Flying Graysons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haly's Circus comes back to Gotham, so Dick takes the opportunity to visit his old family, and introduce them to his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Prompt by kate1zena:** Dick visits his circus family with Jason and Kaden and ends up becoming a part of it.
> 
> This started out as a simple fluff piece. Go to the circus and meet old family, introduce Kaden, and fluffiness ensues. Then it turned into this. xD So...enjoy. :D
> 
> Dick - 38  
> Jason - 35  
> Kaden - 13

The final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day at Gotham Academy. Kaden exited the building, his friends Michael and Melinda on either side of him as the trio made their way out off campus. Kaden looked up and spotted Dick’s car, a huge grin spreading across his face. Today was Dick’s day off and he’d promised the teen they’d spend the day together, just the two of them. Dick was busy with his work as a police officer and Blüdhaven often, so Kaden always looked forward to his days off. He loved spending time with his Papa.

“Hey, I’ll see you guys later!” Kaden called back to his friends, waving them off as he rounded the car, the black Lamborghini that his grandfather had given to his parents as a wedding gift. 

“Bye Kaden!” Melinda waved back. Michael playfully shoved the girl and she laughed, punching his arm.

“Don’t forget: my place, Saturday, Movie Marathon!” Michael called. Kaden just gave a laugh and a wave back before he jumped into the passenger’s seat, dumping his side bag into the back seat of the car, grinning from ear to ear at his Papa. Dick chuckled in amusement as he pulled away from the school, wordlessly gesturing to Kaden’s seat belt. The teen gave a curt nod and buckled up, grinning like the Cheshire Cat in excitement.

As a police officer in Blüdhaven, Dick was at work quite a bit; up to ten hours a day, Monday through Friday. Though he was often called in during the weekends as well; Blüdhaven was a crime ridden city, a haven for criminals fleeing Gotham, which only added to the city’s own troubles. But at least once a month at the very least, Dick would take one of his days off to spend the whole day with Kaden (or the rest of the day on school days). They’d go out for dinner and just talk, maybe drop by the arcade and play some games. It seemed like such a small thing, but not to Kaden.

“So how was school, kiddo?” Dick asked, glancing over at the teen before turning his attention back on the road.

“Where’s dad?” Kaden asked curiously. Dick flashed the youth an apologetic smile and shrugged his shoulders.

“I’m sorry little wing, but dad is at the manor, helping Alfred move some furniture around. He’s not as young as he used to be,” Dick replied, which sounded like a pretty lame excuse as much out loud as it did in his head. Translation: The Red Hood was helping Batman with an investigation into a drug smuggling ring centering around Cape Carmine. Kaden looked a little crestfallen at the news, but Dick nudged him gently with his elbow.

“Hey, no worries, we’ll still have fun, right?” Dick asked. Kaden’s expression seemed to lighten a bit, his smile returning.

“Yeah, sure! Where are we going?” the boy asked. Dick gestured ahead, nodding toward the pizzeria ahead. It was Kaden’s favorite place to eat; he loved pizza because he didn’t get it often. Dick and Jason did their best to keep the junk food to a minimum, so their diet mostly consisted of healthier foods. They tried not to be as strict with dietary habits as Bruce was with them, especially since Kaden was most certainly not going to be running around in green tights or yellow capes any time soon.

“Hah! Alright!” Kaden cheered as the car came to a stop in front of the all-too-familiar pizzeria. Kaden couldn’t get the seat belt off fast enough, hopping out of the car and glancing over at Dick who laughed at Kaden’s impatience.

“Settle down now, the place will still be there in the next five minutes,” Dick joked, ruffling the boy’s hair playfully. Kaden huffed in equal parts annoyance and playfulness as he shoved his papa’s hand away from him.

“So what’s the occasion?” Kaden asked as he followed the man inside. Dick glanced down at the teen and noted how much bigger he’d gotten in the last year. It made him feel old, frankly; it felt like just yesterday that the boy barely stood waist high to him, and now he was just above shoulder height. Dick flashed a smirk and ruffled the boy’s hair again.

“None at all! Well, maybe a small one,” Dick began, stopping before the counter, Kaden looked up at him. “I know I’ve been really busy the last month, so I just wanted to spend some time with you.” Dick smiled down at the boy again and went to ruffle his hair again, but Kaden grabbed his wrist and stuck out his tongue.

“I think twice is enough,” he giggled. Dick laughed in amusement, and in a quick move, put the teen in a headlock, ruffling his hair anyway.

“Oh yeah? How ‘bout I mess with you as much as I want, huh?” he teased. Kaden laughed and slipped out of the hold, pushing the man playfully. The woman behind the counter cleared her throat, grabbing their attention while Kaden fixed his hair. Dick cleared his throat and reached for his wallet, glancing down at Kaden and gesturing toward the menu.

“Uh. Can we get a medium pizza with bacon, pepperoni, and pineapple? Oh, and two cokes!” Kaden asked, leaning against the counter as the woman plugged in the order. She looked up at Dick, flashing the customary fake smile.

“That’ll come to $7.99 and your order will be ready in fifteen minutes,” she said. Dick rummaged through his wallet and slid the bills across the counter, grabbing the receipt. He patted Kaden’s back and led him to a window seat near the front of the store where the two of them sat, waiting on their order.

“So how’s gymnastics going?” Dick asked. From a young age, Kaden showed interest in acrobatics, which Dick was so enthusiastic about; it was something the two of them shared a love for, something they both had in common. And Dick took every opportunity he could to impart some of his skills and knowledge to him.

“Yeah, I’m the top gymnast at the school! All those awesome moves you taught me are _really_ paying off!” Kaden said excitedly. Dick chuckled at the boy’s enthusiasm, giving a curt nod as he spoke.

“Well I’m glad I could help! So tell me more. I-“ Dick began, but Kaden’s excitement got the best of him.

“Well, my coach said I’m the best in my class, and he also said he was a high Flying Grayson’s fan back in the day,” Kaden went on. And the boy kept talking, eager to tell his papa everything about his gymnastics class that’d been going on lately. Dick smiled as the boy spoke, old memories of the little boy who wanted to ‘fly like Nightwing’ surfacing in his mind. But more than that, in moments like this, he could see his husband in the boy; that same enthusiasm Jason had whenever Dick came to the manor to visit with him and hang out. Kaden was most _definitely_ Jason’s son.

Their pizza was served minutes later, alongside their drinks as the two of them continued to converse about acrobatics, school, grades and other things. A nearby tv caught Dick’s eye, however. He turned his attention to it and saw the “Haly International Traveling Circus” sign flash across the screen.

“And for the first time in many years, Haly’s International Traveling Circus will be making a return to Gotham City!” came an anchor woman’s voice. Kaden looked up at the screen, then back to his papa. The two of them shared a look and Kaden glanced back to the screen again, then back to Dick.

“Haly’s Circus, that’s where you grew up, right?” Kaden asked. Dick smiled at the boy and gave a nod.

“Yeah. Until I was nine, that circus was my whole family,” Dick answered. Kaden grinned from ear to ear, excitement rising again.

“Can we go?! Can we?! All of us, I mean. Me, you, and dad?” Kaden asked excitedly. Dick’s smile faded a bit as he glanced back at the screen, watching as some of the circus animals paraded by on screen, led by none other than Jack Haly himself. Dick suddenly felt a bit of guilt that he hadn’t gone to see his old family in so many years, but more than that, he realized he missed them too. He turned his attention back to Kaden and smiled brightly, ruffling the boy’s hair yet again.

“Of course we’ll go!”

* * * * *

Jason, Dick and Kaden hopped out of the car and made their way onto the circus grounds. It was closed today and wouldn’t be open to the public for at least another week, but Dick was eager to see his family, and for them to see his. Jason enlaced his fingers with Dick’s as Kaden went on ahead of them. Dick glanced over at Jason who just flashed him a smirk.

“Hey, thanks for coming with us,” Dick aid softly, stealing a kiss. Jason’s smirk turned into a smile as he quickly tugged Dick back toward him, their lips only an inch apart.

“Hey, for you? Anything,” Jason replied, pressing his lips against Dick’s. Dick hummed into the kiss, his hand threading through Jason’s hair as the taller man pulled him flush against his body.

“Ew, gross,” Kaden complained at the sight of his parents kissing. Jason and Dick broke apart and looked upon the teen in amusement. Jason chuckled and ruffled the boy’s hair.

“Yeah, yeah. Just wait ‘till you find that special someone. You’ll be sucking face too,” Jason replied. Kaden snorted and playfully shoved his father’s hand away from him. He smirked at the man as he fixed his hair.

“Well yeah, but you guys are old,” Kaden retorted. Dick and Jason both exchanged a glance, both grinning like the devil. 

“Uh oh,” Kaden muttered. He turned to run but both his parents lunged forward and grabbed him. Jason ruffled the teen’s hair mercilessly while Dick tickled the boy, Kaden bursting into laughter as he tried to escape.

“Okay, okay! You win!” he laughed, his parents finally letting him free. “Losers,” Kaden joked, earning a playful shove from his father. 

Dick looked out at the circus before them; it was still under construction, but the main tent was already up as well as many of the carnival attractions. It was still under construction, the various circus folk scurrying around to help put it all together. Dick didn’t recognize most of them, however. When he left the circus last, many of the faces he was familiar with were pretty old, and now probably retired. But then he caught sight of Haly in his ringmaster outfit, because _of course_ stubborn old Haly wouldn’t retire!

“Haly!” Dick called with a smile, jogging over toward the man with Jason and Kaden following behind him. The man was digging through a trunk for and gave a dismissive hand wave.

“Hey kid, you seen my hat?” Haly asked without turning. Dick snickered to himself; Haly hadn’t seemed to recognize his voice. He gave a brief look around and saw the hat sitting on top of another trunk just a few feet away. He grabbed it up and tapped Haly’s shoulder.

“Here it is, sir,” he said casually. Haly grunted and stood up, taking the hat.

“Thanks-Dick Grayson!” he said cheerily when Dick’s face came into view. He hugged the man tight and Dick laughed in amusement. The man was showing obvious signs of age, but his hug was still as strong as ever. “Good to see you boy!” the old man said cheerily. He turned to Jason and Kaden and laughed grabbing Jason by the arm and pulling him into a hug. Jason grunted at the sudden jerk forward, and gasped, surprised by the bear hug.

“Damn. You’re pretty strong for an old guy,” Jason managed as the man finally let him god. Haly laughed and slapped his back.

“Pushing 80 and still fit as a fiddle! Comes with the job,” Haly answered with a jovial laugh. The old ringmaster then turned his sights on Kaden. “And who’s this fine young man?” Haly asked, stopping before the boy. Dick moved beside Jason and behind Kaden, both their hands on either of the boy’s shoulders.

“Haly, I’d like you to meet our son, Kaden,” Dick replied as his face split into a grin. “Kaden Todd-Grayson.” Kaden smiled and held out his hand to the man, but Haly instead pulled him into a hug.

“Well damn! Welcome to the family Kaden!” Haly shook the boy’s hand, then gestured to the circus. “There’s an old friend of yours that I’m sure’d be glad to see you.” Haly said. Dick’s face lit up at that.

“Zitka?! She’s still…y’know…”

“Yep. The old girl is pushing forty. But an elephant never forgets!” Haly answered. Dick glanced over at Jason who just chuckled in amusement at his husband’s child-like enthusiasm.

“Alright, let’s go see her,” Jason suggested. Dick enlaced his finger’s with Jason’s and placed a hand on Kaden’s shoulder, leading them to the animal tent. They walked through the tent, past the various circus animals; a lion, some birds, a couple of bears and some elephants.

“Zitka? You here girl?” Dick asked, looking for his old childhood friend. One of the older elephants lumbered forward and when she caught sight of Dick, she lifted her trunk in the air and trumpeted happily. Dick laughed then as she wrapped her trunk around his waist and pulled him forward.

“Glad to see you still remember me! I missed you girl!” Dick admitted, hugging the elephant. Dick parted from Zitka and pushed Jason forward. Jason glanced back at him, then gasped as the elephant suddenly pulled him forward for a hug.

“Uh, hi. Nice to see you too, Zitka,” Jason replied, patting her head. As he stepped away, Kaden stepped forward.

“Zitka, this is Kaden. He’s my son. Why don’t you say hi?” Dick said softly. Kaden smiled as he reached forward tentatively, patting Zitka’s trunk. The elephant stared at him but didn’t budge.

“Hi,” Kaden murmured. Zitka’s trunk ruffled his hair and Kaden snorted with laughter. Zitka trumpeted again, softer this time and Dick and Jason joined Kaden, patting the elephant’s head.

“Papa, you have the coolest family ever,” Kaden said cheerily. Dick smiled at the teen as he led both him and Jason out of the tent, waving goodbye to Ztika, who returned the gesture, waving her trunk.

“I’ll be sure to visit again soon, girl!” he called back. Haly intercepted them at the entrance to the tent then with his hat in his hands.

“Listen, Dick, I was wondering if I could talk to you about something,” Haly murmured. Dick exchanged a glance with Jason and Kaden and gave a shrug.

“Sure, what is it?” Dick asked. Haly fidgeted a bit before putting his hat back on, then he looked Dick right in the eye.

“This is actually a farewell show for me. I’m retiring,” Haly admitted. Dick’s jaw dropped, shocked by the admission, but also unsurprised. Haly was in his 80s at this point. Retirement was inevitable.

“I see. I understand,” Dick said somberly, but Haly held up a hand and stopped him.

“I hate to ask this, but I want to make this show my most spectacular yet, so I was wondering if-“

“Yes!” Dick replied, grinning like a child. Haly chuckled in amusement but he didn’t get a chance to speak. “I know what you’re going to ask me, and I’d love to perform for your farewell show!”

“Great, great! It’ll be a Flying Grayson’s Memorial show!” Haly said with a laugh, patting Dick’s back.

“Can I perform too?! I’ve always wanted to be a Flying Grayson!” Kaden asked cheerily. Jason shook his head immediately, placing a hand on Kaden’s shoulder.

“Oh no. No, no, no. Way too dangerous. Not a chance,” Jason said immediately. Kaden let out a defeated sigh.

“Aw, c’mon!”

“Yeah Jaybird! It’ll be fun! And besides, I’ll be there with him!” Dick replied, patting Kaden’s shoulder and giving Jason the brightest smile he could manage. Jason huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. He hated when his boys ganged up on him like this!

“No! It’s not that I don’t trust you Dick, it’s…it’s, well…shit happens, y’know?” Jason argued. Dick sighed and raked a hand through his hair. An idea came to mind and he stepped toward his husband and whispered something in his ear.

“So? What do you say?” Dick asked, flashing a seductive grin. Jason frowned, mulling it over in his head a bit.

“Okay, fine,” Jason answered, watching as his boys cheered excitedly “but” and then the cheering stopped. “You practice the hell out of this thing for the next few days. Nets, harnesses, the whole nine damn yards, you understand me?!” 

“Yes, yes of course! Kaden will be perfectly safe!” Dick said immediately.

“Yeah dad! I’ll be fine! I’m already a pretty good acrobat! How hard could the trapeze be?”

* * * * *

The day came and the circus was opening to the public as “Haly’s Farewell Show” and “The Flying Grayson’s Memorial Show”. People showed up in droves for the various acts and carnival games throughout the circus. Jason, Dick, and Kaden were early, of course Jason was in the back watching his boys prepare for their show.

The duo was wearing the old Flying Grayson’s uniforms; dark blue leggings with a blood red top with a pair of golden wings emblazoned across the chest. Dick checked both himself and Kaden out; it was a little surreal to be in these costumes again, let alone to see his son wearing one too. He couldn’t help but to grin from ear to ear as he patted the teen’s shoulder.

“You ready Kades?” Dick asked. Kaden swallowed hard but gave a nod, managing a smile.

“Yeah, just a bit nervous,” he admitted, looking out over the crowd. “I’ve never performed for an audience that big.” Dick chuckled in amusement and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

“You’ll do great, don’t worry. Now why don’t you go stretch a little. Dad and I have to talk,” Dick replied. Kaden gave a nod and retreated out through the back of the tent. Dick turned to Jason who looked a little less than happy about this.

“You be careful out there,” Jason began. Dick dragged the man into a hug which he gladly returned.

“We’ll be fine, Jaybird. Kaden will be fine. Trust me!”

“Well, one week of practice is hardly-“

“Jason, look at me,” Dick said again. Jason huffed but looked at Dick, their eyes meeting. “Kaden is a skilled acrobat, and he learns quickly. I’m asking you to trust me. Do you think I’d let anything happen to that boy?”

“No, but-“

“Then trust me, and enjoy the show,” Dick interrupted, placing a gentle, reassuring kiss on the man’s lips. Jason sighed, his hands snaking around his husband’s waist to pull him flush against his body.

“You, Dick Grayson, are a very bad man,” Jason said softly, touching his forehead to Dick’s. Dick chuckled low in his throat and leaned forward for another quick kiss.

“Yes, I am. And tonight, you’ll see just how bad I can be. Just like I promised,” he purred. Then came his queue for him and Kaden to get out there, so he parted from Jason and went to fetch Kaden.

“Ladies and Gentlemen! For my farewell show, I have quite the spectacular performance prepared for you tonight!” Haly called over the microphone. He pointed up to a trapeze platform still mired in shadows as he continued “a show the likes of which hasn’t been seen in decades! I give you The Flying Graysons!” The lights flicked on revealing Dick and Kaden in full uniform, waving to the audience.

Jason shuffled into a seat in the stands moments later with a bag of popcorn in hand. As the light shone on his boys, he stared at them with a mix of awe and trepidation; he trusted Dick to keep Kaden safe and he knew Kaden was a skilled acrobat because Dick helped to train him, but he couldn’t help but think of the very last performance of the Flying Graysons…

“I give you a veteran of the trapeze, Dick Grayson, and his young son trained by the original Grayson himself” Haly embellished, looking up toward the platform “and the top gymnast of Gotham Academy, Kaden Todd-Grayson!” The crowd cheered wildly, including Jason who looked up at his son with a sense of pride, a huge grin on his face as he stood and clapped. “I give you the Flying Grayson’s Memorial act!”

Dick started the show with a few flips and twists on the trapeze as it flew overhead, no net beneath to catch him. The audience ‘oh’d’ and ‘ah’d’ as he performed and Jason himself was equally captivated. He’d seen Dick in the field as Nightwing, but this was something different entirely.

And now came the part that had Jason on edge; Kaden’s turn to join the man on the trapeze. As Dick swung back from the opposite side from Kaden, the teen jumped off of the platform, Haly commentating everything, and performed a triple somersault, then reached his hands out for Dick. But he was falling, and Dick was so far away.

The audience jumped out of their seats, and Jason’s heart caught in his throat. He wanted to shout, but his voice was lost. But it was all for naught, because with a simple move, Dick caught Kaden with ease, and hauled him up, and so the show went on.

After several near-heart attacks and a pretty damn amazing show, the act was over and Jason met his boys in the back. He cuffed them both in the back of the head and glared at them angrily.

“You two idiots nearly gave me a god damn heart attack! I think I died a little inside like, six fucking times!” Jason growled. Dick and Kaden flinched at the man’s anger, their expressions crestfallen as the fidgeted in place. Then, Jason grabbed the both of them and hugged them tight.

“But god damn, that was an amazing show!” Jason admitted with a laugh. Dick and Kaden’s expressions brightened substantially.

“Really?!” Kaden asked. Jason chuckled and ruffled the boy’s hair.

“Really. But you’re _never_ doing it again, so get the idea out of your head,” Jason said sternly. Dick laughed in amusement and patted the teen’s shoulder.

“It’s okay, I’m not sure there’ll be a next time,” Dick answered, kissing Jason’s jaw. “But thanks for this. It was fun to get out there and perform again. And what about you Kaden? You have fun?”

“Yes! That was amazing!” Kaden cheered, hugging both his parents.

“I want to thank you for making my farewell show really spectacular,” Haly said smoothly, a grin on his face as he approached the trio. Dick gave the man a hug, patting his shoulder.

“Of course, anything for family.” Haly turned to Jason then and gave the man a broad grin.

“And thank you for letting me borrow your boys! You should be proud, they’re a talented pair.” Jason chuckled in amusement, shaking the man’s hand.

“Yeah, well, I have to admit, it was pretty amazing, watching them perform.” Haly laughed as he clapped Jason on the back and gestured toward Dick and Kaden.

“Never gets old, the sight of a Grayson on the trapeze,” he said. Haly placed his hat back on his head and retreated out the back of the tent. “You boys take care now,” he said with a wave back. He stopped on final time and glanced back at Dick and Kaden, looking them over. “Keep the uniforms. A souvenir, or a gift.” Dick sighed contentedly, wrapping his arms around Jason and Kaden’s shoulders and leading them out of the tent.

“Well, this was definitely a good day. But I have a promise to keep,” Dick said with a seductive grin. Kaden, clueless as ever, looked up at his papa with a quizzical look.

“You do?” he asked. Jason snickered in amusement and wiggled his eyebrows.

“Yes. He does.” Realization dawned on Kaden and he pulled a disgusted face.

“Ew, dad. Just…ew.”


	32. Baby Pictures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Prompt:** Jason's baby pictures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ho hum, sorry for the lack of updates. I've got a few prompts I've been meaning to finish, but alas, I've been on a bit of a gaming binge. xD But I'm mostly all gamed out, so maybe now I'll get those prompts done. :P As always and ever, I'm still open to new ones, so don't be shy. ^^
> 
> Dick: 38  
> Jason: 35  
> Kaden: 13

Roy groaned, still garbed in the red and black of Arsenal and exhausted from his latest mission, as he dragged himself through the window into an old safe house in Star City. It was one of only a few safe houses he continued to maintain in the city, but this one in particular, held some good memories. This was one of his old team's 'The Outlaws” safe houses, so it held a bit of sentimental value. It also had a really nice workshop with which he'd built many of his 'toys', which was all the more reason he kept it well maintained.

Roy peeled off his mask and tossed it on a nearby table, dropping his bow by his workbench, then carefully peeling off his armor and tossing it aside; he'd clean it up later, but right now he was too worn out. Though it had been a while since he'd last been here; couldn't hurt to poke around a little. Mostly for nostalgia's sake, because some of his best memories were from his time as part of The Outlaws.  
Roy made his way into each of the rooms, each of them left untouched since the last time his old team had used this place. It was in Jason's old room that he'd made a most interesting discovery; and old, small lockbox in the corner of the room with a key on the nightstand. Curious, he opened padded over and grabbed the key; he knew Jason wouldn't mind. In fact, he remembered this same lockbox having been left in his care when their team disbanded. 

Roy opened the lock and lifted the lid, looking at the contents inside. When he saw what was inside, he grinned from ear to ear.

._._._._.

Jason let out a tired yawn as he dragged himself out of the bedroom and down to the kitchen where his husband was, at the stove cooking what smelled like cinnamon pancakes. The man was already dressed in a white tank top and a pair of jeans, meaning today was one of his days off. Jason would have been busy thinking of ways to abuse that, but he was simply too tired; last night's mission proved very trying. Busting a military grade weapon's shipment while keeping Harely's Jokerz away from it, all the while keeping his gangs from gunning for the shipment themselves...well, it tried his patience more than anything else.

“Morning” Jason muttered, scrubbing his face with his hands. Dick glanced back at the man, flashing a smile as he dropped the last pancake onto the platter with the rest, then moved to the coffee pot to pour some coffee. He grabbed a couple of pancakes and put them on a plate, drowning them in syrup and then moved to the table. He slid the coffee and the pancakes to his husband and kissed his head.

“Morning Jaybird. Rough night last night?” he asked before making up another plate. Jason grunted and sipped his coffee, giving a satisfied 'mmm' sound. 

“You have no idea,” Jason grumbled, stabbing at his pancakes. “I feel like I have a hangover, but I didn't even get drunk last night. Fuck.” Dick chuckled in amusement as he placed a plate of pancakes and a glass of orange juice on the table. As if on cue, Kaden shuffled down the hall, barefoot, from his bedroom moments later. Star raced passed him, tail wagging happily as she went to both Dick and Jason for her morning pats, then proceeded to the living room to play with her rope toy.  
Kaden was dressed, at least, in a pair of ripped jeans (Dick hated those things) and a red t-shirt reading 'Strong Style Has Arrived'. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he flopped down in his chair at the table, his hair still a mess.

“Wow, you look like hell,” Jason commented, earning a snort from Kaden.

“I was kind of up late last night,” Kaden replied, sipping his orange juice. He glanced at his papa, who wordlessly set a cup of coffee down onto the table with a smile. Kaden flashed a smile back; he often wondered how his papa knew him so well...

“Oh yeah? Not studying I suppose?” Jason asked with a smirk, taking a bite of his food. Kaden rolled his eyes and shook his head.

“No, it was Friday. I was running a dungeon in World of Warcraft with Mike and his shitty guild,” Kaden replied.

“Should've invited me. I'd've gone with you,” Dick added, joining his boys at the table, coffee and pancakes in hand. Kaden looked at him incredulously and Dick gave a shrug.

“What? I play, occasionally,” Dick commented, biting into a pancake. Kaden arched an eyebrow.

“Oh yeah? What's your main?” Kaden asked curiously.

“Level 80 Blood Elf Priest,” Dick replied. 

“Ugh, nerds, the both of you,” Jason commented, rolling his eyes. Dick laughed and patted Jason's shoulder.

“You love us anyway,” Dick responded.

“Unfortunately,” Jason commented.

“Hey! What's that mean?” Kaden added in with a laugh as his father ruffled his hair. There was a knock at the door, interrupting their breakfast. Dick was up first and made his way to the door. When he opened it, there was a package with a note sitting in front of their door, addressed to Jason.

“Hey Jay, you got a package,” Dick called back, picking it up and closing the door. Jason sat upright at that, confused; he hadn't ordered anything, so what could it be? “It's from Roy. There's a note here from you. 'Wanted to bring this to you in person, but something came up.” Dick read. He handed the package of to Jason, and both Dick and Kaden scooted a little closer to see what it was. Jason opened the box and inside, was a lockbox with a key. Dick glanced over at Jason and spied a glimmer of recognition in the man's eyes.

“What is it?” he asked. Jason glanced over at him and took he lockbox out, pushing the box to the floor.

“Memories,” Jason replied, using he key and popping the box open. Dick and Kaden peered over the man's shoulder to see what was inside. Jason pulled out a bunch of photos; baby pictures.

“Aw, are those baby pictures? Who is it?” Dick asked with a huge grin on his face. Jason smiled at the pictures as he sifted through them. 

“Me,” he replied. Both Dick and Kaden looked at Jason as if he had three heads.

“They're _yours_?” Dick asked in disbelief. Jason simply gave a nod. “Why haven't I seen them before? Where did they come from?” Dick asked. Jason gave a shrug.

“If I had to guess, they were taken by my mother. Probably before she turned into a drugged up mess,” Jason said with a snort. “I saved them after she died. They were...personal. So I kept them private. Something to call my own,” he replied. Dick felt a twinge of sadness, which was quickly replaced by joy at the sight of baby Jason, his chubby cheeks and unruly little head of black hair. Dick snatched a picture, Jason grabbing after it, and Kaden following to get a better look.

“Wow, that's dad?” Kaden asked, looking at the picture from Dick's side.

“Aaaaw, baby Jason is so adorable! And look at those bright blue eyes! And that smile! You look so adorable!” Dick cooed. Jason smirked and rolled his eyes as Dick came back with the picture, handing it off to Jason. Dick stood there, waiting expectantly as Jason shuffled through them. He sighed and handed the pictures over.

“Here. You know I can't stand that puppy eyed look of yours,” Jason murmured. Dick giggled excitedly and sat down at the table, Kaden pulling up a chair beside him.

“Wow, dad was a baby once. I thought he was always old,” Kaden teased.

“Bite me,” Jason responded, placing the pictures back in the box as Dick passed them off. Dick stopped at one of a Jason, a little older, with a red hoodie and hugging a little brown puppy.

“Aaw, Kades, look at this one!” Dick called, Kaden handing the pictures he'd snatched back to his father.

“Hey, whose the dog?” Kaden asked curiously.

“Don't remember. I was probably only three or four there. That was, uh. When the pictures sort of stopped,” Jason replied. Dick handed it back to him and he placed it in the box, locking it back up. Suddenly, Dick hopped up out of his chair and made for the living room. Curious, Jason called after him “what're you doing?”

“Calling Alfred! We've got to show those off to him and Bruce!” Dick called cheerily. Jason blushed a light pink as he followed after him.

“How about no?” he said. Dick scoffed and waved his hand playfully.

“Oh, and Tim and Damian too! Everyone should see how adorable you are!” Dick teased, grabbing his phone and holding it out of reach of Jason.

“Absolutely not!”

“I'm going to grandpa's!” Kaden called from the kitchen.

“Alright, have fun!” Jason called as he managed to pin Dick to the couch. As the door closed behind the teen, realization dawned on Jason. He jumped up and ran into the kitchen to find the lock box gone.

“That brat!” Jason pouted, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Looks like he takes after me a little too,” Dick teased, kissing the man's jaw.


	33. Silence is Golden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Prompt by kate1zena:** Kaden's voice begins to develop
> 
> Dick: 38  
> Jason: 35  
> Kaden: 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is an interesting prompt that I honestly don't remember how it came to be, only that it had to be done because it was too funny to pass up!

Jason yawned as he shuffled out of the bedroom and into the kitchen, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. As per the norm, Dick was wide awake and cooking breakfast, cheery as always as he greeted Jason with a kiss o his cheek as he passed by him to serve their son breakfast.

Kaden glanced up at his father and flashed the man a smile before grabbing the syrup and drowning his pancakes. He grabbed his fork and stabbed at them, taking a bite and making an 'mmm' sound.

“Morning dad,” the teen mumbled as he ate. Jason frowned and sat down at the table beside his son, elbowing the teen playfully in the side.

“Morning to you too brat. Don't talk with your mouth full,” Jason replied. Jason groaned, massaging his temples, and, as if on queue, Dick slid a cup of coffee across the table to his husband. Jason flashed an appreciative smile and grabbed the man's wrist before he could retreat, pulling him in for a quick kiss.

“You're my hero, babe,” Jason murmured, stealing another kiss. Kaden made a gagging noise, earning a laugh from both of his parents. Dick ruffled the teen's hair before retreating back across the kitchen to finish cooking the pancakes.

“Aw, Kades, someday you'll find a nice guy or girl and you'll be kissing it up,” Dick teased. Kaden snorted and waved his hand, with his fork and a piece of pancake on it, dismissively before taking another bite.

“Yeah, but that's me. You guys are old. And my parents. That makes it gross,” Kaden said, his voice squeaking on the last word. His eyes went wide as he clapped his hand over his mouth, both his parents suddenly looking in his direction. Then, Jason busted out laughing and Dick turned back to the pancakes, attempting to, and failing to stifle a laugh.

“It's not funny!” Kaden blurted, his voice cracking again. Jason only laughed harder, and Dick heaved a sigh, an occasional snicker escaping from him. He turned and served up some pancakes to Jason and sat beside him, drenching his own in syrup.

“It's a little funny,” Dick answered, flashing the teen a grin. He turned to Jason and nudged him in the side with his elbow. “Oh hey, you got that interview down at the auto shop today. You better eat quick. Don't want to miss that.” Jason gave a curt nod and wolfed down his pancakes and pushed himself up from the table. Kaden eyed them curiously.

“Autoshop? Don't you work as a bartender at night, dad?” Kaden asked. Jason and Dick exchanged glances because they both knew that wasn't true. His night job as a 'bartender' was little more than a cover to explain where Jason went at night. 

“Uh yeah, kiddo, I do. But um-” Jason began, trying to think up an excuse on the spot. Fortunately, Dick had him covered.

“Your dad is good with cars so I encouraged him to do something with that” Dick answered. Jason flashed a thankful look before leaning over to kiss the man's cheek, retreating to the bed room to dress. This job was actually the truth for a change; crime had dropped quite a bit in recent years and so Jason was going out less and less during the day. And he knew a bit about cars from his childhood; his father taught him about cars so he could steal them, or steal parts from them. Those were times he wasn't exactly proud of, but the talents he picked up on the streets would prove useful later in life. Like now. This job was just what Jason needed; something to keep hum busy during the day.

Kaden and Dick finished eating in silence with Kaden glaring at his papa who kept looking at him with a teasing smirk on his face; he wanted to talk to Kaden to get him to talk, the teen knew it. His parents loved teasing him when they found out about something he was embarrassed about.

“You're an awful parent,” Kaden joked, shooting his papa a fake glare. Dick laughed in amusement and sipped his coffee, ruffling the teen's hair.

“You love me anyway.”

“Alright, I guess I'm off to that interview,” Jason called from the bedroom. Even for an interview, he still refused to dress up; he wore a pair of slightly trashy jeans, a black t-shirt and his favorite brown leather jacket. Dick shot him a disapproving glare and Jason snorted, shrugging his shoulders.

“Well, I hope you get the job then. Good luck, dressed as a slob,” Dick teased and Jason flipped him off.

“Fuck you Dick.”

“Later tonight,” Dick shot back with a wink.

“Ew! So nasty!” Kaden called, clapping his hand over his mouth again when his voice cracked again. Jason snorted with held back laughter and ruffled the teen's hair.

“Better get dressed. You don't want to be late for school,” Jason said smoothly, kissing the top of his son's head. “And have a nice day at school kiddo.” Kaden snorted and playfully shoved his father's hand away from his head.

“Yeah, with this voice thing going on, fat chance,” Kaden replied, groaning and burying his face in his arms when it cracked again. Jason snorted once more with held back laughter and Dick tsked, smirking as he shoved Jason toward the door.

_._._._._._

Kaden, dressed in his a pair of trashy jeans, black sneakers, a red t-shirt, and a black canvas jacket, made his way down the street and toward the school. He had his earbuds in, jamming to his music as the school came into view. He stopped at the end of the walkway and took a deep breath; today was going to be rough, especially since he had a verbal presentation due today; a book report. He groaned and scrubbed his face with his hands and began to march of doom toward the building.

“Hey, Kaden!” Michael called from across the campus. Kaden glanced up to see the red head jogging toward him. Michael was dressed in a white long-sleeve shirt with a blue short sleeve button up shirt over it, a pair of jeans and sneakers. The teen bounced to a stop beside Kaden and wrapped his arms around his shoulders.

“Dude, first bell just rang, your ass is almost late!” Michael said with a grin. Kaden flashed a smirk but didn't respond. This, however, concerned his best friend. The auburn haired teen stopped in front of him and poked him in the chest.

“Hey dude, what's up? No smart ass comment? No lame jab?” Michael teased. Kaden just gave a shrug and speed walked past the teen and onto his classes. He made it his mission to speak as little as possible today, and hopefully, this voice thing would only last a day.

Fortunately, he managed to make it to his English class right before the second bell rang. The teacher, Mr. Palmer, made his way in right behind him. The man was rather tall, at least six foot, with short, dark brown hair and dressed in a black button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and a pair of jeans. Mr. Palmer was the youngest teacher in the school, only twenty-three years old, and he often had the high school aged girls ogling him. Kaden didn't see the attraction though.

“Alright class, settle down. Now, you were each assigned a book to read and write a report on over the weekend. So, who would like to start?” Mr. Palmer asked. Only three of the students raised their hands and as Mr. Palmer moved to his desk, he flopped down and pointed directly at Kaden.

“Mister Grayson, why don't you go first?” Kaden cursed mentally and groaned as his name was called. He sighed and grabbed his report out of the folder and slowly made his way up to the front of the class. The class he unfortunately shared with Michael, who would undoubtedly tease him relentlessly, should he voice crack at all during the report. Kaden got up to the front of the class and took a deep breath, holding the paper out in front of him.

“For my book report, I chose Stephen King's _The Stand,_ ” Kaden began, a mild squeak coming out on the word 'report'. He hesitated and looked out over the class; no giggling so nobody heard that. _Phew, so far so good_. “The Stand starts in a U.S. Army Base-” Kaden continues, a rather loud squeak midway through. The students started giggling and even Mr. Palmer had a smirk on his face. Kaden's face heated up a bit as he continued, trying his best to ignore what just happened.

“-so a pandemic started to spread worldwide and would eventually kill off ninety-nine percent of the world's human population-” Kaden continued on, and another, really bad squeak had his class laughing, and even the teacher was chuckling a bit.

“Alright, settle down. Continued Kaden,” the man said with a smirk. Kaden groaned to himself and continued to give his report.

By the end of the day, Kaden rushed off of the campus in an attempt to get home before Michael caught up with him; Michael had been laughing his ass off in the back of the classroom. He'd been the butt of a few jokes throughout the day too. But finally, sanctuary came into view as his apartment building appeared ahead. Kaden made his way inside and raced up the stairs, grabbing his keys and making his way inside.

“Hey kiddo, how was school?” Dick asked without looking up from the book he was reading on the couch. Kaden groaned and dropped his bad by the door, moving toward the living room and flopping down beside his papa.

“Aweful. My voice cracked all day, and everyone was laughing. Ugh, today sucked,” Kaden groaned, burying his face in his hands. Dick chuckled in amusement, closing his book and setting it down and gently patting Kaden's back. He opened his mouth to speak, but Jason came through the door moments later.

“Good news, I got the job! Course I stuck around and did a little work on a few cars too,” Jason said smoothly, some black grease stains on his face and hands. His shirt was also pretty filthy, with a few black smudges on his jeans too. “It felt good to work on some cars too,” he admitted, shrugging off his jacket. Dick frowned and gestured toward the bathroom.

“Hamper is in the bathroom, slob,” Dick called. Jason stuck out his tongue and Dick responded on kind, chuckling in amusement. Jason retreated to the bedroom and changed into some clean clothes, tossing his filthy ones in the laundry before flopping down on the couch beside Kaden.

“So, how was school?” he asked. Kaden glared at him and Jason laughed in amusement, ruffling the teen's hair. “That bad, huh?”

“How long is this damn voice thing going to last?” Kaden half-whined when his voice cracked again. Jason snickered and Dick hugged him, kissing the top of his head.

“Oh baby bird. Probably a few months to a year,” he replied. Kaden groaned and pushed himself up off the couch, turning to face his parents.

“A year?! Ugh, this sucks.”

“Well, that's puberty for you.” Jason teased. Dick jabbed him in the side with his elbow. Kaden shot his father a glare. Jason heaved a sigh and waved Kaden over. Kaden pouted a bit and crossed his arms over his chest, but reluctantly sat down beside him. Jason draped an arm around Kaden's shoulders and said to him “look, it sucks yeah, but you're growing up. It's not the only thing that's gonna change you know.”

“Yeah, dad, can we skip the puberty talk? Its weird and embarrassing. I don't need a re-run,” Kaden joked, his face burning in embarrassment. Jason chuckled in amusement.

“Sure thing kiddo. Me and your papa both went through it, so you're not alone. Now, why don't you go do your homework squeaky.”

“Dad!” Kaden squeaked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realized that I never gave Jason a legit job. I can't see him sitting around doing nothing all day, but I also imagined he'd probably do something with his hands, like working on cars. And thus, Jason became a mechanic. :D


	34. My Little Jaybird (New)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At the bottom of the box though, he found some old writings, the papers stained yellow with age. There were a few poems his mother had written, accompanied by some things he’d drawn as a kid, and lastly, some of his mother’s old recipes. He frowned and gingerly grabbed them up, sifting through them. He came across one in particular that struck a chord with him, nostalgia building as old memories came rushing to the surface.
> 
> Jaybird Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A (late) birthday present to kate1zena! :P I've no idea where this came from, but I just sort of went with it. Heh. I hope you like it! :D
> 
> In other news, I hope ot be doing more writing once the winter months are finally over. Something other than just occasionally updating this. Winter is just so...blegh for writing. Dx

Jason was home by himself today; between running around as the Red Hood and his job at the garage, he’d decided he needed a little time off. Dick was on the job over in Bludhaven, and Kaden was at school. And unfortunately for him, since he was always either out on the streets, at the garage, or with his family, he found himself at a bit of a loss as to what to do with his new found free time. It had been a while since he’d been by himself.

He’d first thought to take the Zeta Tube to Star City and visit Roy, until he remembered that Roy was on a job over in Qurac. He knew Alfred wouldn’t mind his company, but he and Bruce were currently having a….disagreement. Spending his free time arguing with him was not appealing in the least. 

But he found himself doing something…different than usual. Today, Jason found himself sitting on his couch, going through his lockbox. Roy had sent it to him a few weeks ago; a box full of old memories from his childhood. He remained stone-faced, allowing an occasional smirk as his sifted through some of the photos, mostly baby pictures, a few from when he was older, and some with his mother. He had precious few with both his parents in them, moments when his father wasn’t a complete scum bag, and when his mother wasn’t stoned out of her gourd. 

At the bottom of the box though, he found some old writings, the papers stained yellow with age. There were a few poems his mother had written, accompanied by some things he’d drawn as a kid, and lastly, some of his mother’s old recipes. He frowned and gingerly grabbed them up, sifting through them. He came across one in particular that struck a chord with him, nostalgia building as old memories came rushing to the surface. 

_Jaybird Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies_

Reading that title, Jason couldn’t help but to smile. He remembered that recipe and didn’t think he’d ever see it again. It was tied to some good memories, rare memories when his mother was sober for more than five minutes.

_Jason’s father was in jail, again, and they couldn’t afford the bail this time; he’d spent all their money on beer and cigarettes. But that didn’t dampen little Jason’s spirits one bit; his mother was clean, going on a full month. It was a rarity, something that only seemed to happen when his dad was serving time, but deep down he knew the cycle would repeat again when he came home._

_“Jason?” his mother called from the kitchen. Jason smiled brightly and hopped up off of the couch, a little brown dog named Sparky following him into the kitchen._

_“Coming mom!” he called. Sparky gave a little bark, tail wagging excitedly as they rounded the corner into the kitchen. Jason’s mother, Catherine Todd, stood in front of the counter, her long blonde hair flowing over her shoulders, hiding the bruises her husband had a habit of leaving after one of his drunken fits. But today, she wore a smile, and her blue eyes shown brightly. These were the days Jason longed for most, because these were the days when she would spend time with him, just him._

_“There’s my Little Jaybird,” she said sweetly, hugging the boy. Jason smiled up at his mother and returned the embrace. She gestured toward the counter. “What do you say? Should we make cookies?” she asked._

_“Yes!” Jason said excitedly, followed by a bark from Sparky. Catherine smiled and bent down to kiss the top of his head, then turned back to the counter and grabbed a bowl from the cabinet._

_“What kind should we make?”_

_“Peanut butter!” Jason said excitedly, dashing over to the cupboard and grabbing out a jar of peanut butter._

_“Peanut Butter it is,” she said with a smile, taking the jar. Jason ran around the kitchen and grabbed the measuring cups, butter, brown sugar, white sugar, and eggs, handing each item to his mother as she asked for them._

_“Can we add these too?” Jason asked, holding up a bag of chocolate chips. Catherine turned and flashed him a smile, taking the bag and opening it, pouring in a bunch of chocolate chips. She giggled a bit, then stored the bag away._

_“Sure, why not.” Jason grinned from ear to ear and stood beside her, watching her mix the cookies. She glanced down at Jason and the two shared a smile and she started singing:_

_“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine_

_You make me happy when skies are gray_

_You'll never know dear, how much I love you_

_Please don't take my sunshine away”_

_“...my little Jaybird…”_

Jason held the recipe in his hand for a moment as his mind road the wave of nostalgia. She had actually named the recipe for him, and then it was decided what he’d do today. He carefully set the recipe aside then closed up the lockbox, taking it back to his bedroom, then took the recipe into the kitchen, pre-heating the oven appropriately. He stared down at the recipe for a few moments before deciding to put it up on the fridge.

“Let’s see…One cup of peanut butter, one cup of sugar…”

._._._._.

“Jaybird, we’re home!” Dick called, pushing open the door and letting Kaden through first. The teen dumped his backpack by the door and kicked off his shoes and went off in search of his father.

“Hey dad!” Kaden said cheerily, finding his father in the living room, reading and munching on cookies. Jason looked up from his book and flashed a smile.

“Hey Champ, how was school?” Jason asked. Kaden grinned from ear-to-ear and related how his gymnastics training had gone; exceedingly well, naturally. Dick just watched for a few moments with a smile on his face before he retreated to the bedroom to change into something more comfortable. When he came back out, dressed in a pair of jeans and a white tank top, Kaden had just left the living room.

“How was work?” Jason asked, glancing over the top of his book. Dick heaved an exasperated sigh, and climbed onto the couch beside Jason. Jason shifted a little to give him room, and Dick laid his head down on Jason’s chest, nestling comfortable beside him. “That bad, huh?” Jason asked with a snicker of amusement. Dick simply gave a nod.

“Busy day. Very busy day. I’m exhausted,” Dick answered. Kaden entered the living room with a cookie in hand, plate in the other, munching away happily.

“Mmm, cookies! Hey dad, these are good!” Kaden said cheerily. Jason looked up from his book and frowned.

“Kaden, you know the rule; no sweets before dinner.”

“Okay Alfred,” Dick teased kissing his jaw. Jason groaned.

“Ugh god, I know right?” he teased back, stealing a kiss.

“Did you make these?” Kaden asked. Jason glanced over at Kaden and was silent for a few moments.

“Yeah, I did,” he replied. Now curious, Dick sat up and gestured Kaden over to them.

“Wow, really? I didn’t know you baked, Jay,” Dick replied, stealing a couple of cookies from the plate. Kaden set it down on the coffee table and finished the one in hand, then Dick bit into one, and made an ‘mmm’ sound.

“Wow, these are really good Jason,” Dick said cheerily, happily munching away on his second cookie. Jason gave a simple shrug of his shoulders.

“I found an old recipe of my mom’s and decided to give it a go,” he answered, without looking up from his book.

“Really? Why didn’t--”

“I forgot about it,” Jason interrupted, closing his book and setting it aside. “Found the recipe in that lockbox, you remember the one? Well, I found it. No big deal.” Dick smiled from ear to ear and wrapped his arms around Jason’s neck, pressing a kiss to his temple.

“Well, they’re really good Jason. Any chance we can convince you to make them again sometime?” Dick asked. Jason grinned a little bit and shifted on the couch, wrapping his arms around his husband’s waist.

“Well, that all depends on how well you behave, Dickie.”

“Okay, I’m out!” Kaden called, raising his hands up and quickly retreating from the room. Dick chuckled in amusement and pushed Jason down onto the couch.

“Well, if that’s the case--” he purred, leaning down and stealing a kiss.


	35. Of The Male Persuasion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Prompt:** Kaden starts to notice boys

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a little birthday gift to my good friend kate1zena. Happy Birthday, and enjoy the prompt! ^^
> 
> Dick: 38  
> Jason: 35  
> Kaden: 13

Dick and Kaden walked through the mall, carrying a bag or two each and some chili dogs and sodas, just talking to each other and having a good time. Dick nodded toward a table nearby and so they sat down to eat. It was Dick's day off from work today; usually he had at least a couple days off a week, but a crime wave had hit Bludhaven recently, and Dick had been called in a lot lately. But today was their day, a day for the two of them to spend together. Kaden had wanted to include his father too, but also had work. He wasn't sure what though, just that grandpa Bruce needed his help with.... _something_.

They'd had a great time thus far. They went to the arcade and played some video games together. Dick didn't miss the opportunity to play Dance Dance Revolution, much to Kaden's embarrassment, and even drew a small crowd. Then the two of them did a little shopping; Dick bought Kaden a video game he'd had his eye on, as well as a couple Disney DvDs that he knew he and Kaden would watch together later. Dick was still kind of a kid at heart, and Kaden, even at the age of 13, still had a soft spot for Disney movies. 

They also bought some new t-shirts. Kaden was a little less than impressed with his choice in attire however. Dick had picked out matching t-shirts for the two of them; they had pictures of cartoon fish on them, an adult and a baby fish, and Dick's shirt read “Big Fish” while Kaden's read “Small Fry”. As if that wasn't enough, he got a set for Jason and Kaden too; “Me” and “Mini Me”. The t-shirts they were currently wearing, however, was Kaden's revenge. His shirt read “Chip off the old block” while Dick's read “Old Block”.

And here they were now, sitting down to chili dogs and soda for lunch. Dick watched as Kaden mowed down his chili dog in a matter of minutes, the sight reminding him of a teenage Jason. _Like father, like son_ , Dick thought with an amused smirk. The teen most definitely shared his father's appetite for chili dogs.

Dick was sipping his soda when he caught an interesting sight out of the corner of his eye. Kaden was sipping his soda when a boy walked by; he was tall, probably sixteen with green eyes and slicked back blonde hair. The teen wore a black sleeveless muscle shirt, a pair of skinny jeans, and black converse sneakers. As the teen walked by, Kaden suddenly stopped sipping his soda for a moment, watching him walk by, his eyes seemed to wander over the older teen's form a little. Dick, pretending not to notice and hiding a little smirk behind his own cup, mused at how Kaden seemed to be trying to be so subtle about it.

After the boy was out of sight, Kaden's attention snapped back to his papa, who gave the man a quizzical look; Dick was smirking at him.

“What?”

Dick turned, looking in the direction the teen his son had just been checking out, had gone. He then turned his attention back to Kaden, opting for a casual approach, giving his drink another sip.

“So, that boy was rather handsome, hmm?” Dick asked discreetly. Kaden's face flushed a little as he gave a shrug of his shoulders.

“Y-yeah, I guess,” Kaden muttered, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. Dick's amusement increased a bit at the boy's flustered response. Kaden's attention seemed to drawn away from his papa and Dick turned, following the boy's line of sight; the boy that his son had been checking out was on his way back and stopped to talk to a mall employee just outside one of the shops, right across the way from their table. Dick turned back to see Kaden staring at him again and Kaden did a double take what he noticed his papa watching him, his face heating up.

“What?!” Kaden asked, flustered. Dick's smirk turned into a grin as he leaned back in his chair.

“You were admiring the view, weren't you Kades?” Dick asked amusedly. Kaden's face heated up even more as he glanced over at the unawares teen and shushed his papa.

“N-no I wasn't!” he spluttered, sipping his drink in a desperate attempt to stop the conversation. Dick chuckled in amusement and waved his hand dismissively.

“Uh huh. Sure you weren't, Kades,” Dick teased, glancing over toward the boy and laughing internally as Kaden's own eyes followed. Kaden seemed to pick up on what his papa was doing because his face burned crimson. He glared at the man and pouted, crossing his arms on the table and looking in the opposite direction.

“I am...dammit I hate you sometimes,” the teen muttered.

._._._._.

When the two of them got home a couple of hours later, having spent a little time just talking while taking a walk in the park, Jason was on the living room floor in a pair of red athletic shorts doing sit ups. He stopped when he saw his boys come through the door, pushing himself up on his feet and grabbing a hand towel off the coffee table, wiping the sweat from his brow.

“Hey, you guys have fun? Sorry I couldn't go with,” Jason said evenly, flashing a smile at them. Dick smiled at the man and pressed a quick kiss to his lips and Kaden gave a nod.

“Yeah, we had a great time dad! Maybe you can come with us next time?” Kaden asked. Jason chuckled and ruffled the teen's hair, then patted his back.

“Sure thing kiddo,” Jason replied. Kaden beamed at his father and them went off to his bedroom, stripping off his jacket on the way down the hall. Jason grabbed his water bottle off of the coffee table and followed Dick into the bedroom, closing the door behind him.

“So, what'd you guys do exactly?” he asked curiously, moving to the bed and taking a seat on the edge. His hand guns and his black phone were sitting on the nightstand on his side of the bed, both of which he grabbed to put away in the lock box he kept under the bed.

“Well, we spent some time at the arcade, went for a walk in the park, had some chili dogs, even did a little clothes shopping,” Dick replied, sitting down on the bed and kicked off his shoes. He heaved a sigh and reclined on the bed, glancing over at Jason. Jason smirked at the man, shooting him a look over his shoulder we he fiddled with the lock box.

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah. Even picked up you and Kaden an adorable matching t-shirt set,” Dick said with a little grin, sticking out his tongue at the man. Jason rolled his eyes, chuckling a little at the idea f matching t-shirts.

“Oh and your son was checking out a boy today,” Dick added in a teasing tone. Jason glared at him and gripped his handgun.

“He what?”


	36. Christmas in the Slums

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It's a few days until Christmas and all they're going to do is open a damn soup kitchen in the Bowery for fucking day and ignore them for the other 364 fucking days as usual,” Jason growled, finally stabbing at his pancakes. Dick quirked an eyebrow in confusion, not entirely sure where that had come from.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little Christmas Prompt for this year! Sorry about the lack of updates on...well, anything. xD The Winter months are the absolute worst for writing for me, because the desire to write sort of just...flies out the window. ~_~ But don't worry, I'm still here, and very much alive, and accepting prompts as always. Whether that's for Growing Up, or new stories, or whatever. Merry Early Christmas everyone! <3
> 
> Dick - 38  
> Jason - 36  
> Kaden - 13

The Red Hood grunted with the impact as he landed on a roof top from across the way, rolling to lessen the impact. He jumped to his feet and raced off after the clown, slash acrobat, who was carrying a sack of stolen jewels, gems, and other valuable objects. 

This latest case would have been strange, had it not been for the plethora of much more bizarre villains to parade through Gotham before them (Solomon Grundy, Poison Ivy, and Scarecrow to name a few). This clown was part of a traveling circus, but not just any traveling circus; it was a crime ring underneath the surface. They'd perform in a city, taking ticket fees for entry, then robbing people later before leaving before anyone was aware. Unfortunately, they picked the wrong city. Nothing happened in Gotham City that escape Batman, Nightwing, Red Hood, or Oracle's watch. Especially not Jason's; as the undisputed Crime Lord of Gotham, he was privy to every criminal secret, in every dank, shadowy, forgotten corner of the city, and beyond.

“What's the rush? No time for a little game of tag?” Jason called after him, putting emphasis on 'tag' as he shoulder bashed the clown. The man grunted as the attack landed, throwing him forward, toward the edge of the building. He cried out as he dropped his bag of valuables which landed in a dumpster below. He cried out again as he fell off the edge of the building, shielding his eyes and bracing for impact. An impact which never came.

“Did I mention that I hate clowns?” Jason ground out, having caught the man by his ankle. He growled as he yanked the man back up, grabbing him by his collar and throwing him to the ground. The clown attempted to escape, but Jason fired a few rounds into each ankle to keep him from going anywhere.“Whoops. Live ammo. My bad,” Jason said to himself, smirking behind his helmet. Dick will probably piss and moan later, but...totally worth it. He cuffed the clown as he whimpered on the ground then hauled him up on his feet, tying him up further and leaving him for the GCPD to find, down on the ground below. 

Heaving a sigh, Jason pulled off his helmet, tucking it under his arm, and digging through his pocket for a cigarette and lighter. These were pure tobacco cigarettes, no additives or other chemicals, and quite expensive. Just another perk of being a Crime Lord. He lit one up and took a puff, heaving a contented sigh. He rarely smoked these days, having quit years ago, shortly after he and Dick got together. But every once in a blue moon, he still enjoyed the rare cigarette, like now for instance. Still, if Dick knew he was smoking, even pure tobacco cigarettes, he'd never hear the end of it.

As he took another puff, he looked out over the city below. He recognized then where he was; The Bowery. This was the filth ridden place he grew up in as a child, living on the streets and taking care of his drug addled mother, right up until she OD'd. Even now, Jason could see himself rummaging through dumpsters and robbing people on the streets, as well as other...unsavory acts...that he'd rather forget, anything just to survive. Movement caught his eye and so he glanced down and saw a little boy digging through the dumpster, running away when a man in the apartment building adjacent to it yelled at him. Jason gritted his teeth and stomped out the cigarette. This place hadn't changed one bit.

And that was the problem.

Jason had never forgotten where he came from, how he grew up, but he had hoped that some of what he did as The Red Hood, what the whole family did as vigilantes, had some impact on his home, but no. Nothing had changed. Nothing at all. It was as if the Bowery was impervious to their efforts. And it pissed him off. Jason gritted his teeth and clenched his fists as he watched that little boy dig a half eaten granola bar out of a trash can and split what was left of it with a younger girl, probably his little sister.

He was pulled out of his reverie as his phone started to ring. He snorted softly and pulled the phone out of his pocket; a call from one of his lieutenants.

“Yeah fine. I'm on my way,” he snapped. With one last look at the scene, he turned and vanished into the night.

*_*_*_*_*

Jason sat at the kitchen table with Kaden the next morning, staring silently at his uneaten meal. Dick had cooked chocolate chip pancakes; Jason and Kaden's favorite. Naturally, he was concerned when Jason hadn't touched his at all. Dick sat down beside him, setting a glass of orange juice in front of their thirteen-year-old son, and a cup of coffee in front of Jason and himself.

“Something wrong Jaybird? You haven't eaten a bite,” Dick asked, leaning forward to try and read the man's expression.  
“Yeah dad, are you okay?” Kaden asked, sipping his juice. Jason looked up, first to Dick, then to Kaden. He flashed the boy a smile and ruffled his hair.  
“Yeah, dad's fine. Don't worry champ. Why don't you get ready for school,” Jason replied. Kaden smiled back at his father and gave a nod, finishing his meal and then making off for his bedroom. Dick watched the boy go with a smile, then turned back to Jason.

“So?” he asked patiently. Jason heaved a sigh and then frowned, looking over at Dick.  
“It's a few days until Christmas and all they're going to do is open a damn soup kitchen in the Bowery for fucking day and ignore them for the other 364 fucking days as usual,” Jason growled, finally stabbing at his pancakes. Dick quirked an eyebrow in confusion, not entirely sure where that had come from.

“I'm a little lost Jay,” Dick admitted. Jason sighed again and shook his head.  
“I was in the Bowery last night. Watched a couple of kids scrounge through the trash,” Jason said smoothly, sipping his coffee. “All the shit we do has no effect on that place. And this city doesn't even care. It's disgusting,” Jason said flatly. The light flicked on then as Dick understood what the problem was. He gave a nod and patted Jason's back.

“I understand-”  
“No you don't, Dick,” Jason snapped, keeping his anger in check. The words were firm, but calm as he stared at Dick. “You don't understand because you never had to live like that.” Dick wanted to reply, but before he could get a word in edgewise, Jason was grabbing his jacket and keys off the wall and he was out the door.

Jason hopped onto his motorcycle and raced through the streets of Gotham. It always made him feel better to ride through town, with just the wind through his hair and not a care in the world. Though it was a bit chilly and a light snow had started to fall. It wasn't working today though. His mind kept going back to that kid, to the slums. The Bowery was a hell hole and the Narrows was the worst neighborhood in the entire city.

Despite how far crime had fallen over the years since he'd taken control of Gotham's Crime, the Bowery was still a miserable place to live with homelessness unchanged, crime still running rampant and poverty unchanged. Jason had lived that life and knew what it was like, as a kid, to do whatever you had to do to survive. The fact that nothing had changed, despite his efforts, made him angry.

In that moment though, Jason had a revelation. He knew someone who could help, someone who had connections. Gotham's Elite were often worse than the criminals, looking down on those less fortunate and keeping them down to increase their own wealth and affluence. So Jason turned his bike and headed for the manor. If anyone could help, it's be Bruce.

*_*_*_*_*

Jason made his way down into the cave where Alfred had informed him that Bruce was, and had been, since late last night. Sure enough, Jason found Bruce sitting at the Batcomputer going over some data Jason had sent him on a new gang trying to muscle into Gotham. Normally, Jason would've taken care of it himself, but he was trying to spend more time with Dick and Kaden, and less on the streets.

“Dad, we need to talk,” Jason said smoothly. Bruce wheeled around in his chair almost instantaneous, arching an eyebrow at his son.

“What do you want?” Bruce asked evenly.

“What are you--”

“You only call me ‘dad’ when you want something. What do you want?” Bruce interrupted, lip curving ever so slightly into an almost-smirk. Jason had no such restraint and smirked slyly, waving hishand dismissively.

“Alright, alright. You caught me. So listen,” he began, stopping just a couple feet away from the man “the Bowery is still a hell hole. That much hasn’t changed. Like, at all.” Bruce leaned forward a bit, listening intently, while steeping his fingers.

“Yes, I’m aware.”

“Good, then you can do something about it,” Jason replied. Bruce leaned back in his chair again.

“I can?”

“Yes! You’re one of the richest men on the planet, and the most well respected man in Gotham! The Elite will listen to you!” Jason snapped, patience thinning a little. Bruce sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, giving a wave of his hand.

“Jason, I think you overestimate--”

“No, I don’t! you’re a Wayne! Your name alone carries weight! Can’t you…I don’t know…do a fund raiser or…something?!” Jason snapped again.

“Jason, it’s not that simple!” Bruce replied, jumping to his feet. “The Elite of Gotham are a whole different beast to the Underworld. You--”

“No, it is that simple, you just don’t give a fuck,” Jason snapped, storming out of the cave. Bruce heaved a sigh, crossing his arms over his chest and shaking his head. Alfred passed by Jason, sparing a glance backward, with a tray of tea in hand. He stopped beside Bruce and stared after Jason, then leaned closer to Bruce.

“Well, that went swimmingly Master Bruce, did it not?” he asked. Bruce gave a sigh and shrugged his shoulders.

“Better than I’d expected.”

“So about that Gala next week?”

*_*_*_*_*

Jason growled to himself as Dick dragged him along with him to Bruce’s Christmas Charity Gala on Christmas Eve, down in the Bowery. Jason hadn’t really wanted to go, but Dick, being his usually, charming self, managed to convince Jason to go. It was apparently a casual affair, no need to dress up, so that was a plus.  
Jason chose to dress in a pair of ripped jeans with a black t-shirt and black leather jacket. He didn’t really bother to make much effort. Dick dressed in blue jeans, a dark blue t-shirt and a black jacket. Kaden was apparently already down there though, having been staying at the manor and attending with Bruce, Damian and Alfred.

When they arrived, Dick enlanced his fingers with Jason’s and led the man inside. Surprisingly, Jason saw everyone, including the homeless, men, women, and children, sitting down to delicious looking meals. On Christmas, instead of the usual soup kitchen, the homeless were fed turkey, vegetables and apple cider. But this year, the meal was even more fantastic and wide ranged. There was turkey, ham, prime rib, steaks, and assorted fruits, vegetables, breads and biscuits. The building was packed, and everyone was dressed very casually, save for Gotham’s Elite, of course. They insisted on flaunting their wealth in front of everyone, and Jason couldn’t deny a flicker of anger at them for it.

“Jason, I’m glad you came!” came Bruce’s voice, waving Jason over. Jason frowed and he and Dick made their way over to Bruce. Kaden bounced up beside him and hugged his parents.

“Dad! Papa!” he said cheerily, grinning up at his parents. Jason smiled at his son, ruffling his hair.

“Hey kiddo,” Jason replied with a warm smile. 

“Jason, I want you with me when I make the announcement,” Bruce said then. Jason arched an eyebrow, but before he could question it, Bruce left, heading for the front of the room. Dick snickered behind him, earning a glare from Jason, but Dick ignored it and tugged his husband to a table near the front, close to Bruce.

“Dick, what’s--” Jason whispered as Bruce tapped the microphone.

“Sssh, you’ll see.”

“Thank you all for coming today!” Bruce declared and the room went silent. He waited for a moment and then began. “Today, as you know, is Christmas Eve, and every year, we serve a delicious meal to Gotham’s less Fortunate,” he began, looking around the room, eyes falling, briefly, on Jason.

“Dick--” Jason whispered.

“Sssh.”

“Well, not this year. This year, I dedicate this Charity Gala to the less fortunate. And now I’d like to announce the purpose,” Bruce began. He cleared his throat and paused for a moment, all eyes still on him. “I’d like to announce that Wayne Enterprises is sponsering a new program to help the homeless get off the streets and get back on their feet.”

Jason stared wide-eyed at Bruce for a moment, then stared at Dick who had a shit eating grin on his face.

“This building, along with the entire city block, are being restored and renovated into a homeless shelter, and orphanage,” Bruce said, going on to explain his plan, including a full scholarship for anyone who wished to go back to school and further their education. Jason sat their in stunned silence, followed by a look of disdain at the rather disgusted looks on some of the Elite’s faces.

Jason got to his feet when Bruce approached him.

“Merry Christmas, Jason,” Bruce said, hesitating for a moment before hugging his son.

“We all noticed how you’ve been spending a lot of time down in the Bowery lately,” Dick said to him.

“And we know how your childhood was,” Tim added.

“So we thought this might make a good gift,” Bruce added in.

"Well shit. And I was kind of a jackass to you last week,” Jason grumbled to Bruce, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. Bruce patted his back.

“It’s okay.”

“Yeah, you’re an asshole, but we still love you,” Dick replied, kissing his jaw.

“Gee, thanks.”


	37. Busted!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Prompt:** Kaden sneaks out to a party against his parent's wishes and comes home with a new dye job that Dick is less than pleased with.
> 
> Jason - 37  
> Dick - 39  
> Kaden - 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't really remember where this prompt came from, but I finally got it done. It was supposed to have been up yesterday, but I've been without internet for almost 2 days. the horror. Dx Someday, I'll stop procrastinating and get all caught up on my prompts. Some day. xD

_“You're a Wayne! You have to come to this party! Dude, it'd shoot your reputation up through the roof!”_ Those were the words of Kaden Peter Todd-Grayson's best friend, Michael. Those words convinced the teen that it was well worth it to defy his parents and sneak out that night to go to a house party that his parents had specifically told him 'no' to. The argument was quite convincing (to a teenager); he was the grandson of Bruce Wayne, and the grandson of Bruce Wayne couldn't _not_ show up to a house party! And thus, the rebellious teenager chose peer pressure, over parent pressure. Honestly, he didn't see what the big deal was; it was just a simple house party...although, there _may_ have been alcohol. In his defense, he hadn't touched a drop. His ride, however, had gotten drunk off his ass, leaving him to walk home, through the dark, crime ridden streets of Gotham City, by himself.

Kaden sighed in relief when his apartment building finally came into sight. He jogged across the street and down into the alleyway beside it, opting to climb up the fire escape. A quick glance at his watch indicated that it was past two in the morning. That was fortunate for him, since he was certain his parents weren't even home from their night jobs. Kaden hopped up on top of the trash can, balancing himself to keep it from tipping, then jumped and grabbed the ladder, pulling himself up. From there, it was an easy climb to his bedroom window, which he snuck in through. 

Star was waiting for him there, tail wagging. Kaden smiled and patted the dog's head, sure he was home free, when the light flicked on...and both his parents were there waiting for him. He looked at both of them like a deer caught in the headlights, his papa sitting on his bed and his dad standing in front of his bedroom door with his arms crossed.

“I uh, just stepped out for some air,” Kaden lied sheepishly, trying not to look as guilty as he felt. It was perhaps the _worst_ , most pitiful lie he'd ever told in his entire life; it sounded awful even in his head, but there had to be at least a 0.01% chance they'd buy it...right?

“Oh yeah, you stepped outside for some fresh air. Please, we weren't born yesterday, Kades. You're busted,” Jason said evenly, rolling his eyes at the teen's lame lie. Both of his parents approached him, but his papa looked to most annoyed.

“And what the hell did you do to your hair?” Dick asked incredulously as he ran a hand through the teen's black hair, blue highlighted hair. Kaden frowned as Dick's fingers messed with the newly dyed locks. 

“Actually, I don't think it looks the bad,” Jason muttered, brushing a black-blue lock out of Kaden's eyes. Dick shot Jason a glare and elbowed him in the side. 

“Not helping,” he snapped.” Kaden huffed in annoyance and carefully pushed past the man, flopping down onto his bed. It was then that he noticed that his computer, TV, and console were all gone from his room. He looked a little desperately at his still very disappointed parents.

“You're grounded for a month, Kaden,” Jason said evenly. Kaden jumped up off the bed, staring at his parents incredulously, his jaw dropping.

“A _month?!_ For sneaking out to a damn party?!” Kaden snapped at them in disbelief. Dick frowned at the teen, sending him a glare that had him quickly shrinking back onto his bed.

“Yes Kaden, a month. First of all, we told you 'no'. Second of all, what the _hell_ were you thinking?! Walking down the streets of Gotham at _two in the morning?!_ ” Jason growled at him. Dick flashed him a look that he ignored; the streets of Gotham were dangerous enough during the day, but at night? Nobody knew the dangers better than he did.

“Nothing happened! I got home safe, okay?!” Kaden snapped back, huffing in annoyance as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“That makes you lucky, not brave, or smart,” Jason snapped in response. He heaved a sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Give me your phone. Now,” he said evenly. Kaden wanted to protest, and almost did, until his papa shot him another one of those glares. He heaved a sigh and handed the phone over. “No TV, no video games, no computer, and no phone for a whole month.” Jason said, leaving the room.

Dick watched the man leave, then turned his attention back to Kaden. He was going to have his say, because this wasn't quite over yet.

“Go to bed Kaden. Tomorrow morning, I'm cutting your hair,” Dick said smoothly, making for the door. Kaden hopped up off of the bed again, staring incredulously at his papa.

“What?! But-”

“Haircut. Tomorrow. Learn to accept it,” Dick interrupted, silencing the teen and shutting out the light. Kaden sighed, whining a little as he flopped back down onto the bed. He ran a hand through his hair, wondering just how much worse his punishment could get.

“Last time I ever let Michael talk me into anything,” He muttered to himself.


	38. Another Wayne Charity Gala

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick ropes his boys into another Wayne Charity Gala.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Prompt by Lunatic19:** "Lol imagine Jason trying to get him and Kaden out of the Galas because he hates them and Dick promising to help Jason out of his suit after the Gala as a reward for putting up with the old women lol. OMG Old ladies trying to pinch Kaden's cheeks cause they find him adorable and Damian thankful they no longer attack him."
> 
> Jason - 37  
> Dick - 39  
> Kaden - 14

Jason frowned as he looked into the bathroom mirror and adjusted his tie. He was dressed up for another Wayne Charity Gala, donning a black tuxedo, black dress pants and dress shoes, with a white undershirt, a red vest and a black bow tie. He hated going to Bruce's Charity Galas; it was like jumping into a Viper's nest. He would much rather have preferred jumping into a shark tank. _How do I let Dick talk me into these things?_

“You look great Jaybird,” Dick purred from behind Jason, leaning nonchalant against the door frame. Jason looked as his husband through the mirror and frowned as he fiddled with his tie, finally getting the damn thing right.

“Yeah well, you know I'd much rather-” he began, but Dick interrupted with a slight laugh as he sauntered into the bathroom and wrapped his arms around his husband's waist and pressed his lips against the man's neck.

“I know you hate them Jaybird, but-” Jason snorted in interruption, but Dick ignored him and went on “-Bruce _asked_ us to go. And the people of Gotham are expecting to see us there, after all. You know how these games work.” Jason sighed in response, fiddling with his tie again. Dick swatted his hand away and straightened it a little. He pressed his lips against the nape of Jason's neck a few times, his hands settling on his hips.

“Tell you what, Jason,” Dick began, whispering in Jason's ear. The man shivered a little as Dick's breath played over his ear. “You go to this Gala with me and behave yourself...” Dick paused, a mischievous smirk playing across his lips as he nibbled on Jason's ear. Jason bit his lip, growling slightly at the other man's teasing.

“And?” he asked. Dick's smirk turned into a grin as he gave the man's hips a light squeeze.

“And I'll help you take that suit off later. Underwear and all,” he purred, whispering the latter into the man's ear. Jason closed his eyes shut and groaned. Dick Grayson did _not_ play fair! Jason sighed and turned in Dick's arms, grinning back at him as he leaned down for a kiss. Their lips melted together perfectly and Jason took the opportunity to slip his tongue into the other man's mouth, drawing a moan out of him.

“You're a cheater. But, deal,” Jason replied.

“Dad! Papa!” Kaden called from the living room. Jason and Dick shared a look and a smile and together, the two of them made their way out into the living room. There they found their fourteen-year-old son struggling with his tie. Kaden frowned as he struggled to tie it and gave a frustrated growl when it came undone again. He huffed in annoyance and threw his arms in the air, completely fed up with the thing.  
“Relax kiddo, take a breather. Here, let me,” Jason said with a smirk, reminded of himself at that age.

_“Ugh! These damn things are impossible!” Jason hissed angrily, throwing his hands up in defeat. Bruce strode up to him and patted his hair, earning an annoyed glare._

_“Calm down Jason, it's not that difficult,” Bruce said evenly, a small smirk at the corner of his lips as he tied Jason's tie for him. Alfred hummed softly in the background._

_“As I recall, Master Bruce, it took you eight years to learn to tie your own tie.”_

“There you go champ, all set,” Jason said smoothly, flashing the teen a smile as he ruffled his hair. Kaden frowned as he smoothed his hair out again and then the tie, tucking it into his red vest.

“Thanks,” Kaden muttered. He heaved a sigh and raked a hand through his hair. “Do we have to go to this thing? Those old ladies are always pinching my cheeks. I'm _fourteen_! I'm _too old_ for that crap!” Jason laughed and patted his son's shoulder affectionately.

“Well, if I have to go and be miserable, then you have to go and be miserable too.” Dick chuckled in amusement, stepping between his boys and wrapping his arms around their shoulders.

“Alright, let's get going! Don't want to be late!” he said cheerily, earning a snort from both Jason and Kaden.

“Speak for yourself,” they said in unison.

* * * * *

Dick, Jason and Kaden were practically assaulted by the press almost as soon as they arrived. It was only because of Bruce that they got through without incident; one of the cameramen was sticking a camera in Kaden's face, and Dick swore Jason was about ready to beat him with his own camera.

After the initial incident, things seemed to lighten up a bit. Gotham's elite were all gathered in the ballroom mostly exchanging small talk and gossip, as Gotham's more fortunate were wont to do. Dick and Jason were separated pretty early, as the former's adoring fans carted him off to ogle and flirt with him, much to Jason's annoyance.

He had his own admirers however, men and women alike, and he'd gotten passes from both. Bagging a Wayne, even an adopted one, was always a sport amongst these snakes. As for Kaden, the poor boy was having his cheeks pinched and told how adorable he looked, as usual. Damian took the opportunity to tease him about it, mostly because he didn't have to put up with it anymore.

Jason was used to the stares he got, the ogling, and the occasional grab; it was hard to see who had the _balls_ to touch him in this crowd. Dick wasn't fairing any better it seemed, as even all these years later, men and women alike were still trying to get into the Prince of Gotham's pants. The most annoying part of the whole ordeal, was people seemed to forget (ignore, more like) that the two of them were married.  
So it was pretty much business as usual at a Wayne Charity Gala.

Jason, Dick, and Kaden _did_ finally manage to get together in a corner of the room, away from the crowds for a little bit though. Jason heaved a sigh as he downed a drink, placing the glass on the table behind him and tugging at the collar of his shirt.

“Business as usual. I can't stand these things,” he muttered with a pout. Dick chuckled in amusement and kissed the man's jaw, wrapping an arm around his waist.

“Aw, I think it's cute when you pout, Jaybird,” he teased, earning a little smirk from Jason. Kaden huffed, also pouting, and crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back against the wall behind him.

“This is awful. We've been here for over an hour, and I've had my cheeks pinched, and been told I'm adorable like, a million times, and-”

“What about that girl I saw you talking with, hmm? I think I saw some sparks,” Jason teased, playfully jabbing Kaden in the side with his elbow. Kaden blushed crimson and shook his head.

“What? No, that was just a friend from school!” the teen quickly countered. Dick chuckled in amusement and pointed at the teen's face.

“That blush says otherwise, Little Wing,” he teased. Kaden's blush darkened as he huffed In annoyance.

“Can we go now? Please?” he practically begged. Jason grabbed another drink and downed it, setting the empty glass down beside his last one and gave a nod.

“Yeah, I'm with the kid. C'mon Dickie, it's been an hour and a half, let us off the hook,” Jason added. Dick could barely hold back his laughter to see both of his boys pouting, and practically begging for the 'torture' to end.

“Alright, alright. Let's go find Bruce first, then,” he replied. And so the three of them went to hunting Bruce down, which wasn't a hard task; even in his older age, he proved to be quite the womanizer, as evidenced by the four giggling women around him.

“Hey Bruce, sorry but we're bailing,” Jason said evenly as soon as he got within ear shot. Bruce's smile faded slightly as he parted from the girls and let them into the foyer.

“I see. Well I'm glad you could at least make an appearance-” Bruce began, interrupted by Kaden.

“You shoulda seen it Gradpa! Some guy got all touchy with dad, and Papa almost knocked his head off!” Kaden said with another laugh. Jason grinned while Dick shook his head. He gently prodded Dick in the side with his elbow. Neither of them had thought Kaden had seen that; he hadn't said anything until now.

“Whose jealous now, Dickie?” he teased. Dick smiled back at him, then turned his attention back to Bruce.

“Anyway, we're going now. Thanks.”

* * * * *

Jason and Kaden heaved tired sighs as they came through the door to the apartment, Star waiting for them, tail wagging happily. 

“Finally,” both Jason and Kaden said in unison, the two of them flopping tiredly onto the couch. Star hopped up beside them and laid herself over their laps, tail still going as the two of them patted her.

“You guys, it wasn't that bad,” Dick said amusedly, loosening his tie. Jason snorted and pulled his off and groaned, scrubbing his face with his hands.

“Oh yes. Yes it was. And if you remember, you owe me,” Jason replied as his face split into a rather suggestive grin. Dick cocked an eyebrow, and then memory came back to him. He flashed a smirk at the man as he approached him.

“Ah yeah, I remember now. I promised to help...relieve you...of your tux,” Dick purred. “Kaden, why don't you go to your room.”

“Okay, first; ew. Second; you don't need to tell me twice,” Kaden replied, hopping off of the couch and quickly retreating to his bedroom with Star behind him. Dick sat on Jason's lap, the man beneath him grinning wickedly as he undid the buttons on Dick's undershirt.

“Time to have a little party of my own,” he purred, pulling Dick's head down for a searing kiss.


	39. The Boyfriend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaden has a new boyfriend. Jason doesn't like him, no surprises there, but neither does Dick.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Prompt:** Kaden's first boyfriend, Jeremy.
> 
> Dick - 39  
> Jason - 37  
> Kaden - 14  
> Jeremy - 16

Kaden made his way to his apartment, an arm wrapped around his waist, belonging to an older boy. He was a few inches taller than Kaden. He wore his sandy blonde hair in a crew cut, combed and gelled neatly to the side. He wore a pair of dark cargo pants, a black 'Rule Breaker' t-shirt, with a dark gray canvas jacket, and a pair of black and white converse sneakers. He had an air of confidence and smile to match and smoothly charmed men and women.

His name was Jeremy Davis and he and Kaden had been dating for the last week. He'd been holding off on introducing him to his parents; Jeremy was his first boyfriend, and his dad was a bit overprotective of him when it came to boys. That wasn't to say his dad was perfectly okay with him dating girls either. His dad had given him 'the talk' every time he brought a girl home, and he was always poking around to 'check up on them'. Kaden was glad his dad cared so much, but at the same time, it was so _ungodly annoying_! He was fourteen, he could take care of himself, thank you very much! 

The two of them stopped in front of Kaden's apartment as the teen dug through his pocket for his key. He turned to Jeremy and sighed.

“Gotta warn you in advance; my dad can be a little overbearing sometimes,” Kaden warned. Jeremy chuckled in amusement and rubbed the back of his neck coolly.

“It's cool babe, you're worth the trouble,” Jeremy purred, a sly smirk on his lips. Kaden flashed a smirk back, but before he could open the door, Jeremy wrapped an arm around his waist again and pulled him flush against his body, pressing his lips against Kaden's. Kaden hummed contentedly into the kiss, tasting mint and catching the scent of the older boy's cologne. The kiss only lasted a handful of moments before Jeremy pulled away from him again, arm still draped around his waist as Kaden turned and opened the door.

“Dad, papa, I'm home!” Kaden called, dropped his bag by the door. The two teens sauntered into the living room and Jeremy gave Kaden's ass a light squeeze. Kaden glanced up at Jeremy who gave a wink and a grin and Kaden playfully shoved the teen in response. Jason came out of the bathroom moments later in naught but a pair of red dorm pants and a towel draped around his shoulders. Kaden and Jeremy turned and Jason's eyes narrowed as they fell upon the teen who had his slimy little arm around his son's waist. 

Dick came out from the bedroom moments later and he and Jason locked eyes which was more than enough for Dick to remind his husband, _we talked about this_. They knew Kaden's sexuality meant he'd eventually bring a boy home and Dick knew how protective of their son he was when it came to dating. But more than that, they _both_ knew how teenage boys were, having been teenagers themselves. 

In the span of a few seconds, Jason eyed the teen wrapped around his son; everything about the kid, from the way he dressed, to the smell of his cologne and the cocky smirk on his face annoyed Jason. He'd seen it before, but he held his tongue. For now.

“Whose this?” Jason asked politely, playing the game like Dick had taught him. _Be polite, let Kaden talk, let his boyfriend talk, reserve judgments for later..._

“This is my boyfriend, Jeremy. We've been dating for a week,” Kaden said smoothly, leaning up to press a kiss to the teen's jaw. Jeremy gave a grin and cupped his jaw, stealing a quick kiss from his lips. Jason felt his blood boil a little. _Keep your filthy lips to yourself you little bastard._

“Hello, it's a pleasure to meet you,” Jeremy said casually, holding his hand out to Jason. Jason had to squash a mental image of throwing the boy out the window and forced a smile on his face, shaking the teen's hand.

“Jason. And this is my husband, Dick,” Jason said evenly, gesturing toward Dick. Dick flashed a smile and shook the teen's hand. Kaden's expressions brightened a little, seeing his parents accept Jeremy so easily.

“Well, we got homework to do, so-”

“Yeah sure, go ahead. Keep your door open,” Jason said evenly. Kaden's face flushed red as he headed for his room, Jeremy's arm snaking back around his shoulders and tugging him against his side. Jason shot a glare at the teen and resisted the urge to throw something at him.

“I don't like him,” Jason growled. Dick sighed, raking a hand through his hair and flashed a concerned look.

“Yeah...I don't either,” Dick admitted. “Does he remind you of anyone?” Dick asked. Jason and Dick shared a look and said, in unison “Bruce.” Dick wanted to give the guy a chance, but unfortunately, his demeanor, his stance, the way he walked, it all screamed playboy and both he and Jason had seen that act more times than they could count with Bruce. Jason made a mental note to watch that boy like a hawk...and maybe do a background check...

Kaden and Jeremy made their way into the bedroom, dropping their bags down by the door. Jeremy closed the door while Kaden unpacked his homework. When he turned around, Jeremy hooked an arm around his waist and pulled him close, pressing his lips against the younger boy's. Kaden moaned softly into the kiss. Jeremy grinned into it as he slid his hands up underneath Kaden's shirt. Kaden's shivered a little at the touch, but gently pushed Jeremy away.

“Jeremy, c'mon,” he whispered. Jeremy, still smiling mischievously, backed off as he was told raising his hands in the air defensively. 

“Sorry. Just a bit excited to have you alone and all to myself,” he purred, licking his lips. Kaden blushed a little under the other's almost predatory gaze.

“Yeah, well, we finish our homework, and maybe we can cuddle a bit on my bed while we watch a couple movies, hmm?” Kaden fired back, a smirk tugging at his lips. Jeremy smile softened as he leaned in for a kiss.

“Sounds good. So what's first?” he asked, jamming his hands into his jacket pocket as he looked over Kaden's shoulder and at his desk. “Calculus? Shit, that's a bit over my head babe,” he said with a laugh. Kaden chuckled in amusement as he sat at his desk, playfully tugging his boyfriend forward by the collar of his shirt.

“Yeah? Well pull up a chair and watch. Maybe you'll learn something.” Both boys jumped with a start when Dick pushed the door open. “You know, I don't get why you signed up for Calculus if you can't do it,” Kaden teased. Jeremy scoffed lightly and leaned down beside Kaden, resting his chin on the boy's shoulder. He huffed lightly and looked at the younger boy out of the corner of his eye.

“Oh, just trying to impress my new boyfriend. Plus I thought I can handle it. Can't all be geniuses, babe,” Jeremy replied with a teasing chuckle.

“Hey, sorry to bug you boys. Jeremy, will you be staying for dinner?” Dick asked calmly, ignoring Jason behind him. He knew the man well enough to know what he was thinking.

“No thanks Mr. Grayson. Kaden is helping me with my Calculus, and then I've got to head home. Thanks though,” Jeremy replied politely, flashing a smile. 

“Alright. You two focus on your school work then. Kaden, dinner is in an hour,” Dick said evenly, leaving the room. Jason his his hand on the door to keep it open.

“And keep your door open.”

“Dad!” Kaden shot back, face burning red. Jason chuckled in amusement as he and Dick retreated from the bedroom, but Jason's smile quickly faded.

“Can I shoot him?”

“No.”

“But what if I use bbs?”

“No. He's a kid, Jason,” Dick replied in an amused tone. Jason huffed, pouting a little.

“Well, then I'm running a background check. I don't like him.” Dick laughed in amusement and made for the kitchen. He turned and patted Jason's cheek affectionately.

“Fine, I'll let you run a background check, but _nothing else_ , got it?” Dick answered in an amused tone. Jason pouted a bit and rolled his eyes.

“ _Fine_.”

._._._._.

Kaden and Jeremy's relationship only improved for the next week, though Kaden had still been wary of doing anything physical beyond kissing. Maybe a little exploring, above the waist, but that was the extent of it. Kaden was supposed to meet Jeremy in front of the building after school today; something about taking Kaden to the movies or something. But here it was, ten minutes after school got out, and no sign of Jeremy. Kaden frowned and decided to go looking for him. He asked around a bit and heard that he'd last been seen in the gym. So off to the gym it was. 

Kaden looked around the gym but saw Jeremy nowhere in sight, so he headed for the boy's locker room. When he got there, he was...well, shocked, to say the least. There, he saw Jeremy kissing some random girl, tongue and all. He had her pinned up against the lockers, his hand sliding over her leg.

“So, about that movie,” Kaden shot, eyes narrowing. The girl and Jeremy broke apart, and she looked a little flustered. She glanced back and forth between the two of them before scurrying out of the locker room. Jeremy looked at Kaden wide-eyed, hand raking through his hair as he tried to think of some lie.

“Kaden! It's-”

“Not what it looks like? Please, I'm at the top of my class with straight A's in every class. Don't insult my intelligence,” Kaden snapped angrily. Jeremy shook his head, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

“Look, it's not my fault. It's just the way things are. C'mon babe,” Jeremy said with a smirk, reaching out to touch Kaden's cheek. Kaden snorted and slapped his hand away.

“Here's an idea; how about you go fuck yourself,” Kaden snapped, storming out of the locker room. He made his way out of the school building and pulled out his smart phone, dialing his step brother's number.

“Hey, Damian. It's me. Come get me,” Kaden said on the phone, pacing a bit in front of the building. “No, I missed the bus. I don't wanna talk about it. Fine, training it is. It'll help me blow off steam. No, nothing. Thanks, bye.” Kaden hung up the phone and sighed. He should've seen this coming, after all, his both his best friends tried to warn him about Jeremy.

“Could this day get any worse?” he growled to himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So as you all know, Halloween is coming up! And so now, I have a question for all of you; How should Dick, Jason, and Kaden dress up for Halloween this year? Drop your suggestions in the comments section! :D
> 
> Also, on a side note, poor Kaden. His day _IS_ about to get worse, lol.


	40. Expansion [nsfw]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaden walks in on something he shouldn't have, and things get...complicated

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so, this started out kind of as a random conversation, and then turned into this. I have no idea how. kate1zena and I collabed on this one, so it's a pretty lengthy chapter. xD Anywho, enjoy. ^^
> 
> Kate1zena would like to remind Mykael that he was the one who thought of this. I just said, "What if Kaden walked in?" and that is how this, well, beast occurred. I have no regrets. 
> 
> Dick - 39  
> Jason - 37  
> Kaden - 14

The bathroom was filled with steam and the sounds of grunts and groans echoed through the room. Hot water streamed down from the shower head as Jason hefted Dick up against the glass of the shower and pushed inside him. Dick clutched desperately at Jason's slippery shoulders, whimpering loudly as the man pushed his cock deep inside him. Jason groaned and attacked his husband's neck, kissing and nibbling on the warm, wet flesh, his hips thrusting up into Dick. Jason groaned when Roy roughly entered him, the man's strong arm wrapping around his torso and the other gripping his hip for leverage.

As Roy rocked his hips against Jason, Jason thrust up into Dick, slamming his prostate with every thrust and eliciting those delicious moans and cries of pleasure he loved. Roy reached around Jason, grabbed Dick's erection and pumped him in time with his own movements. Dick whimpered at the contact and tried to thrust up into his hand. The hot, almost scalding water added to the pleasure of it all.

“Fuck, Roy. Harder,” Jason gasped between grunts as he made a particular hard thrust up into his husband's body, eliciting a near-scream from him. Roy grinned as he snapped his hips forward, slamming inside Jason. Jason cried out in pleasure, the sound muffled as he buried his face in Dick's neck, biting, kissing and licking at the warm, wet flesh. Dick let out a gasp as his head thudded lightly against the shower wall, arms wrapping themselves around Jason's neck.

"God. Roy, Jay, I'm so - haah - so close!” Dick cried out. Roy grinned against the back of Jason's neck as he cupped the head of Dick's cock and began massaging it with his palm. Dick squirmed and whimpered at the movement, clutching desperately to Jason as the man slammed into him. Dick shouted, burying his face in Jason's neck and wrapped his arms around him. Hands clawed desperately at the man's back, broken moans tumbling past his lips as he came hard, coating Roy's hand in cum, quickly washed away by the shower spray. Jason's hips kept moving, kept thrusting wildly as he neared orgasm; between Dick's warm, tight heat, and Roy's dick slamming against his prostate, he wouldn't last much longer.

“Oh God. Dick! R-Roy! Aaangh, fuck!” Jason cried out. With one final, hard thrust, he came hard deep inside his lover, and Roy followed moments later. The three of them panted heavily, about to bask in the afterglow when the water turned icy cold. Dick screamed as the icy spray hit him while Roy and Jason started yelling expletives, Roy losing his balance resulting in the three landing in the heap on the floor in the shower.

"FUCK! Fuck, fuck, fuck! What the fuck..." Roy and Jason shouted over each other, scrambling on the wet tile, hands searching for the shower knobs as the spray turned unbearably hot.  
"FOR FUCK'S SAKE! TURN IT OFF! It's not fun anymore!" Dick screamed as he made his way to the door of the shower to get out on clumsy legs.

*_*_*_*

Kaden fiddled with his iPod and gave a wave back as he hopped out of his brother's black Aventador, and ambled for his apartment building's door. He'd spent most of his after school hours at the manor, training in self defense with Damian and hanging out with his uncle Tim when he was in Gotham. He missed his uncle and hadn't seen him much over the last few months. He was always busy with...come to think of it, he wasn't exactly sure what his uncle did.

The teen adjusted his earbuds,opened the door to his building and then trudged up the stairs, turning up the volume on his iPod. When he came to the door to his apartment, he was singing softly along with the song and he dug through his pocket for his key. He unlocked and pushed the door open, and noticed Uncle Roy's jacket tossed on the arm of the couch as he glanced around the living room. He smiled at the thought of seeing Roy; Roy wasn't really his uncle, but he'd been 'Uncle Roy' for as long as he could remember, just as Barbara had always been 'Aunt Babs'.

Kaden stopped at the couch, turned off his music, pulling his earbuds out, setting them on the coffee table. Was that Uncle Roy _groaning_? From the bathroom? It didn't sound like he was in pain, but it didn't sound normal either.  
He padded over to the bathroom, knocked on it questioningly; when he didn't get an answer, he opened it. 

"Uncle Roy?" he asked, popping his head in. His jade eyes widened in horror at seeing his parents, in the shower, having sex - _ACTUAL FUCKING SEX_ \- with his uncle. What. The. Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck? 

His brain sputtered for a few seconds to a complete halt trying to process what he was seeing before revving into high gear, eyes narrowing and temper flaring. He opened the door fully, marched over to the toilet and flushed it before stomping out in a huff, leaving the door to the bathroom wide open. He snatched his iPod from the coffee table and stalked out of the apartment, slamming the door closed, before pulling out his cell phone and dialing Damian's phone number as he made his way down the stairs.

"Come on. Come ON! Pick up! Pick up!" he muttered. Kaden shoved his way out of the front door of the building and started pacing angrily in front of the apartment building as the phone continued to ring. He swore when it went to voicemail and dialed again, foot tapping as he tried to stay still when he heard Damian pick up.

"What do you want now?" Damian said, annoyed.

"Look, I know you just dropped me off, but you gotta come back and get me!" Kaden said with a huff of annoyance. Damian snorted, and hung up on him. Kaden stared at his phone incredulously.

"ASSHOLE!" He shouted, dialing the number again.

"No," Damian replied before hanging up again. Kaden swore to the high heavens and dialed again.

"Come get me."

"No."

"I'll tell Grandpa what you did to the Murciélago," Kaden threatened. 

"You wouldn't _dare_."

"Wanna try?" There was silence followed by a growl.

"Fine, but you had _better_ keep your mouth shut," Damian snapped, hanging up again. Kaden pocketed his phone and glared up at the window of his apartment. He paced angrily in front of the doors as he waited on Damian, trying to figure out what he saw. His parents with...no. Wasn't that cheating?

His head snapped up when he heard his brother's car stop in front of him. He popped his earbuds in, not really in the mood to listen to his brother bitch, and hopped in.

"What is this about anyway?" Damian asked, worry creeping into his voice, pulling away from the curb.

"Trust me, you don't want to know."

Damian arched one eyebrow as if to say, "Oh really," but let the subject drop, the rest of the ride to the Manor spent in silence. Kaden stared out the window the whole drive, music blaring in his ears. When the manor finally came into view, Kaden hopped out of the car and hurried inside. Alfred raised an eyebrow at Damian and he shrugged his shoulders as he walked in.

In the kitchen, Alfred calmly prepared tea as Kaden absentmindedly doodled on the granite countertops with his finger, earbuds out, chin on the hand not doodling staring at nothing. Alfred took a moment to look at him while preparing tea, reminiscing that he looked like Jason when he first came to the Manor - a bit lost, angry and confused. He shook he head lightly; reminiscing was a dangerous thing. 

"Would you like to discuss what's troubling you, Master Kaden?" Alfred asked calmly as he gently set a cup of tea in front of him. Kaden looked up at Alfred a little desperately, not sure what to say or if if he should say anything at all, but he needed to talk to someone, and Alfred was...well, he was Alfred. _Anybody_ could talk to Alfred about _anything._

"No. Yes. No...I don't know, Alfie," he moaned, hands coming up to scrub at his face, "Everything is so fucked up."

Alfred lifted a brow but remained silent, waiting patiently for Kaden to continue.

"My day at school was terrible even though it was Friday. I caught Jeremy with his tongue down some girl's throat in the locker room, so I told him he could go fuck his own ass. The _locker room_ , Alfred," more like _drying humping_ , he thought, "and then I came here and got my ass kicked by Damian. And then, well, well..."

"Master Kaden, I have fought in a war, taken care of you grandfather since he was a child followed by your fathers, brother and uncle and now you. There isn't anything I haven't heard before."

Kaden screwed up his face and then said into his cup of tea, "Even catching three people have..."

"Yes, even that."

"EWWWWWWW! Do I want to know? Do I? No, no, I don't want to know." Alfred chuckled at Kaden's outburst before he continued, "The world is not black and white, Master Kaden. You above all should know this. Your parents are not what the world sees as "typical" or "normal," but they love and care for you like other parents you've met, correct?" Kaden's expression softened and he nodded.

"Yeah," he answered simply.

"And you love your parents, correct?" Alfred asked. Kaden nodded immediately; that wasn't even a question that needed to be asked.

"Yeah, of course I do," he replied easily.

"Then, Master Kaden," Alfred began, offering the teen a smile as he ruffled the boy's hair, "Why should this change anything?" Kaden turned and watched as the old man went about his business. But, he was still confused - why would his parents do...that...with Uncle Roy?! He still didn't understand.

"If you are still unsure, Master Kaden, may I suggest talking to your parents?" Alfred suggested, reading the teen's mind. Kaden frowned and shook his head. "As hard as it seems, Master Kaden, one must only ask," he finished as went to clear the cups.

*_*_*_*

"Holy fuck, what the hell was that?!" Jason said as he finally stumbled out of the shower and pulled a towel off the rack, wiping his face and holding out a towel to Roy.

"I have no idea. All I know is that my ass is going to be scorched for a week," Roy replied, taking the proffered towel, "I had no idea your shower ran that damn hot."

"The better question we should be asking ourselves is why did it get so cold then so hot," Dick mumbled, rubbing his scorched thighs with his hands before taking a towel, "The only way that happens is when someone flushes the toilet in this house. As far as I know, there were three people in this house at the time we were in the shower. Kaden wasn't expected home until nine. Anyone have a watch?"

"I'm fresh out of watches, babe," Jason replied, throwing a smile at him. Dick smacked his thigh with his towel, eliciting a yelp from him.

"I'm being serious and all you can do is crack jokes?" 

Roy walked over to the sink and picked up his watch, the beautiful green eyes both of them loved widening, "Hey, wonder boys, it's 9:30." Dick and Jason exchanged looks, dressed quickly and headed to Kaden's room. Jason gave a light knock. When there was no response, he cracked the door open and peaked inside.

"Kaden?" he asked softly, pushing the door all the way open. He and Dick looked around the room, but there was no sign that Kaden had ever been here. It appeared the three of them had been caught. Kaden was probably...pissed? Upset? Confused? Probably all of the above. Having two dads was one thing; finding out said parents were involved with a third guy? Well... _shit_. Jason sighed, raking his hands through his hair; this was not how he planned on Kaden finding out, and the impending conversation was going to be so damn delightful. _'So Kaden, Papa and I love each other, but occasionally we like to fuck around with Uncle Roy.'_ Oh yeah, that'd be fuckin' grand. He and Dick retreated from Kaden's room and rejoined Roy out in the living room.

"He knows, doesn't he?" Roy asked, arms crossed over his chest as he arched an auburn brow.

"Yeah, and in the worst way possible. I think he, uh...caught us," Jason mumbled, his face tinting pink. It was hard to make Jason blush, but the idea of his son catching him in the act would do it.

"Aw, it's so cute when you blush, Jaybird," Roy teased, earning a glare from Jason. Roy merely grinned, raising his hands defensively as he let himself fall back onto the couch. Jason scrubbed his face with his hands as he paced back and forth in the middle of the living room, trying to figure out how to handle this.

"This all could've been avoided if we had just been honest with him in the beginning, Jason," Dick said, matter-of-factly, earning a glare from Jason, "Just saying." Jason heaved a sigh and flopped down onto the couch beside Roy. Roy looked over at his friend and flashed a smirk.

"Beer?"

"Sounds good right about now," the man muttered. Roy chuckled in amusement and pushed himself up off of the couch and made his way into the kitchen. 

"Dick-"

"No thanks," Dick called back, grabbing up his phone and sitting on the edge of the recliner. He called Kaden's phone; he wanted to make sure he was safe. The phone rang a few times before he heard Alfred's voice on the other end.

"Alfred? Is Kaden okay?" Dick asked, worriedly. Why didn't Kaden answer his own phone? It took him a moment to consider that maybe Kaden was a bit...well, pissed. Roy made his way back into the living room, dangling a beer in front of Dick's face. Dick shoved him away lightly, worried, and chewed on his lower lip. Roy put his beer on the table and squeezed Dick's shoulder reassuringly, kissing his temple, before he walked away and gave Jason his.

"He's here at the Manor and he's fine, Master Dick. No need to worry," Alfred replied. Dick breathed a sigh of relief and sat back in the recliner, raking a hand through his hair.

"C-Can I talk to him?" Dick asked. There was a pause on the other end of the phone. He glanced over at Roy and Jason who were talking to each other softly, drinking beer. He could always count on Roy to help calm Jason when he got this anxious.

"I'm sorry Master Dick, but Kaden does not wish to speak with you at the moment." Dick sighed and closed his eyes.

"Alright. I understand. Tell him...tell him we love him and we'll see him in the morning, yeah?"

"Yes, of course. Good night," Alfred said smoothly, hanging up the phone. Jason glanced over at Dick and sipped his beer.

"So? Is Kaden okay?"

"He's fine. Just not uh...talking to us at the moment, apparently." Jason's eyebrows came together at that before he sighed and put his head on Roy's shoulder.

"I guess we should have expected that. He did catch us _en flagrante delicto_ after all." Roy made a noise of approval over and brought Jason closer to him, kissing his head.

"We could always snuggle for a while..." Roy trailed off.

"As great as that sounds, Roytoy," Dick replied tiredly as he pulled himself from the recliner, "I really should get some sleep for tomorrow." Jason silently agreed, pulling himself up off the couch. He put his beer back in the fridge, not having drank much of it; not having a hangover would be a great advantage for tomorrow's conversation. Dick walked to the bedroom yawning and closed the door; as much as he wanted to say good-bye to Roy, he was just too tired. Jason walked back to the living room and stopped in front of Roy who pulled himself up and hugged him tightly.

"Well, I guess I better be going. I don't think Kaden will want to see me for a while," Roy said with a sad smile.

"He'll come around. He just needs time to process shit," Jason said chuckling into Roy's shoulder and patting his back. "Are you sure you don't wanna crash here? It's not a problem." Roy waved his hand dismissively and made for the door.

"Nah, thanks Jaybird," Roy replied, flashing a smile as he pulled on his jacket, "Besides, Lian has a date tonight. I have to threaten her boyfriend when they get back." Jason snorted in amusement, holding back laughter, as Roy grinned like the devil.

"Night Jaybird. Tell Dick good night for me too, will ya?"

"Of course. Good night Roy," Jason replied, waving him off as he padded into the bedroom.

*_*_*_*

The next morning arrived and with it, the impending conversation looming over the both Dick and Jason. They got dressed, grabbed some coffee and made their way out, taking the black Lamborghini Aventador that Bruce had given them as a wedding present; it still ran like a dream all these years later. Of course, Jason had made sure to take good care of 'his baby.'

The drive to the Manor was silent and tense; neither of them were sure how Kaden would handle the situation, or what would say to him and that made them nervous. Jason most of all, because it was _his_ decision to keep Kaden in the dark about it. He just knew Kaden was going to want to know why. The Manor came into view minutes later and the two exchanged hesitant looks. They pulled up and slowly got out of the car, Jason heaving a sigh and raking a hand through his hair.

"You ready for this?" Dick asked, rounding the car to stand beside his husband. Jason snorted and shook his head.

"No, but let's get it over with. The sooner the better," he replied. He glanced down at his watch to check the time; 9:30 in the morning. They were early risers by nature, so they were definitely awake. Well, maybe. Kaden was your typical teenager, always sleeping in on weekends. On a Saturday, 9:30 was early for him. Regardless, Dick and Jason made their way inside the manor, greeted at the door by Alfred.

"Good morning Alfred," Dick said cheerily, giving the man a hug.

"Morning Alf," Jason added in with a hug of his own.

"Good morning. Master Kaden is in the kitchen," Alfred responded, closing the door behind them. The couple made their way through the familiar rooms and halls, to the kitchen where everyone usually gathered first thing in the morning. There they found Kaden in black pajama bottoms and a button up top left undone and hanging lazily off shoulders, eating a bowl of cereal and sitting in one of the stools at the kitchen island. Jason snickered quietly at the sight of his son, bed hair and all. He seemed to have only just gotten up. Kaden glanced toward his parents and groaned at the sight of them, shoulders involuntarily raising.

"Oh fuck no, it's too early for this shit," Kaden muttered.

"Coffee, Master Kaden?" Alfred asked politely. The teen nodded quickly, needing something to distract him from his parents.

"Kaden, it's quarter to ten," Dick pointed out. Kaden turned to his papa and glowered at him.

"It's Sa-tur-day." Kaden didn't even mention that he got little sleep because certain images kept filtering into his dreams and he decided sleep wasn't worth it. The things he saw yesterday were horrifying, to say the least. He was going to need years of therapy to scrub that from his mind, he was sure. Jason patted the teen on the back and sat down on the stool beside him.

"Alright, relax. Take some time to wake up first and then we'll talk," Jason said smoothly. Kaden gave a disgusted look at them. Talk? They wanted to talk, at quarter to ten? Were they crazy? Could this not wait until, you know, lunch? He could do awkward talks at lunch. Alfred slid a cup of coffee in front of him and he latched onto it, sighing contently.

"Thanks Alfie," Kaden said, sipping the heavenly brew. Dick, Jason, and Alfred talked about inconsequential things while Kaden finished his breakfast and coffee; they had tried coaxing Kaden into talking with them about school, his friends, anything, but he either completely ignored them or hissed a short answer at them. After the third, "It fucking sucked," they had decided to let him be and finish breakfast in silence before he stomped upstairs for a shower. Kaden was quite like Jason in the morning - not to be trusted with a comprehensible or nice word until one cup of coffee, breakfast and a shower. 

Kaden padded into the kitchen half an hour later wearing a pair of jeans, pulling on a bright yellow Kid Flash t-shirt. Dick turned in his seat and arched an eyebrow at the very familiar colors. Kaden shrugged in response.

"What? Kid Flash is one of my favs! Not enough teenage superheroes, y'know," Kaden replied with a grin. Dick chuckled in amusement and grabbed the teen by his arm and playfully tugged Kaden toward him, combing his hand through the boy's messy hair.

"Gee, baby bird, you ever heard of a hair brush? Or a comb? You look like a dust mop," Dick teased, ignoring the teen's squirming.

"Papa, c'mon, I'm fourteen! Stop being so embarrassing!" he replied, followed by a laugh as he managed to squirm his way out of his papa's arms. Jason smiled at the two of them; as much as he didn't to ruin the moment, they still had to talk about what Kaden saw. Sliding out of his seat, he wrapped an arm around Kaden's shoulders and steered him toward one of the lesser used sitting rooms.

"C'mon champ. We have to talk," Jason said smoothly, gesturing for his husband to follow. Dick hopped off of the stool and followed his husband and son into the sitting room. Kaden made himself comfortable in one of the arm chairs and Dick and Jason sat side-by-side in a love seat across from him. For the first few moments, the room was silent, tense. Jason cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck nervously, he and Dick exchanging glances.

"Hey, uh, there's no way to make this not awkward, K, but we are sorry that we didn't tell you about Uncle Roy," Dick began.

"Yo-you're sorry?," Kaden began, standing up and pacing, "About not telling me or that you got caught? Why...why didn't you ever tell me? What is it that you exactly have with Uncle Roy? How long? Does Lian know? Ho-how could you not tell me? What else are you keeping from me? What..."

Dick swallowed hard and looked at Jason, glowering at him for a moment as if to say, "I told you so."

"Kaden, calm down," Jason replied, keeping his anxiety in check, "Papa and I will try to answer your questions but you need to ask them one at a time." Kaden stopped pacing and stared at them, long and hard. 

"Fine. Are you sorry about being caught or not telling me?"

"Both," the two said in unison, hands twining together.

"What exactly do you have with Uncle Roy?" Both of them took a deep breath and looked at each other. Dick patted the arm chair and Kaden sat in it, arms crossed.

"Kaden, your dad and I have an open marriage. It means one or both of us can, in essence, cheat with someone else and the other would be okay with it. However, we only have an open marriage with Roy. Every open marriage is different, but we are not comfortable cheating on each other with other people. Roy is different; we have both dated Roy in other times of our life."

"But why did you guys start...that?"

Dick blew out a breath, "Well, back when you were younger, Roy asked us if we ever had a threesome. Jason and I said we hadn't, but we had thought about it. Roy said if we ever wanted to, he was always willing to join us. We never thought about it up until then, but we talked about it and we took him up." Kaden made a face at this but Dick continued, "We found ourselves...cashing in, so to speak...more often. He's a safety net for both of us and he knows how to get us...well..."

"Ew, Papa, ew." Dick chuckled as he saw his son's face screw up like it did when he first tasted brussel sprouts.

"So, you guys get together to have....that?"

"NO!" Jason and Dick said.

"Kaden, we love Roy. Sex is just part of that. We talk to him all of the time, make sure he and Lian are okay. He's just an extension of us. Is that easier?" Dick said softly.

Kaden nodded, "Does Lian know?" Dick sighed then and nodded. "What the hell, Papa? How does Lian know and not me? How long has she known? Why does she know and not me? Were you ever going to fucking tell me?!"

"Well, Roy told Lian after we decided on this permanently, when you were about six," Dick answered. Kaden's green eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Since. I. Was. _SIX?!_ YOU'VE BEEN KEEPING THIS FROM ME SINCE I WAS SIX!" he hollered.

"Well, to be fair, I wanted to tell you. You have no one to blame but your father for this," Dick said.

"Daaaaad," he growled. Jason crossed his right leg over his left and crossed his arms.

"If I had my way, he wouldn't have found out at all, _Dick_."

"What?! So you were going to keep this all from me, forever?"

"Yes."

"Well, that's mean, Dad. I would have liked to know I had three dads at some point in my life," Kaden said as he stood up and walked out of the door up to his room for some private time. He needed to process all he had heard. 

Dick looked at his husband, tears in his eyes, "Did you hear that, Jay? He said, "I would have liked to know I had three dads at some point in my life." Jason looked at his husband, uncrossed his arms and legs and brought him to his chest, kissing his temple.

"Yea, I heard him. Let's call Roy."

*_*_*_*

Roy walked into the apartment, late that evening. Kaden had come home with his dads earlier in the afternoon and he was preparing dinner with them. He was cutting vegetables for the salad when he heard the door open.

"Uncle Roy?" he asked as he set the knife down and walked into the living room.

"Hey, Champ," Roy said lightly as he hung his coat up, "We okay?"

Kaden narrowed his eyes slightly then smiled, running up and hugging him tightly.

"We're definitely okay, Roy." Roy smiled and hugged him tightly.

"Hey, why don't I teach you how to use a bow next time you come to Star City, eh?" Roy said while ruffling Kaden's thick, floppy hair.

"Really?"

"Yep."

"COOL!" Kaden smiled one of his megawatt smiles up at Roy before his crinkled his eyebrows and looked down, fidgeting with his fingers as Roy made his way to the kitchen.

"Hey, Roy?"

"Yea?" 

"Is it okay if...well, may I...can...can I call you Dad?" Roy stopped in his tracks and looked at him, shock written on his face. Dick and Jason both stopped what they were doing and looked at their son with the same shock. Jason put down the knife Kaden had been using. They hadn't realized Kaden would have accepted Roy this easily. Roy slowly walked over to him, crying and hugged him so tightly Kaden thought his ribs were going to crack. 

"You can call me whatever you want, Kades."


	41. Practice Makes Perfect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Prompt:** While Kaden visits Star City, Roy teaches him to use a bow, as promised.
> 
> Roy: 38  
> Kaden: 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I finally got off my lazy ass and finished a prompt, lol. It's been a while. Got a few more to do, but at least this one is finally done. I've been too lazy to work on my prompts lately. That and some personal stuff. This one was a little hard to write, only because I didn't know what to put in it, lol ~_~ But here it is, another chapter to this ever growing series. :D Enjoy, and know that prompts are always open! It just might take a while to get done, these days, lol.

"Raise your arms a bit. Good, good. Now take aim; set your sights along the arrow shaft," Roy instructed. He pushed Kaden's arm a bit and helped him adjust his aim, then stood behind the teen and crouched down to watch him. Lian was away, vising with Oliver and Dinah, and as promised, Roy was teaching Kaden how to use a bow while he was visiting him in Star City. Kaden seemed to learn quickly; his first few attempts to fire the bow ended with his arrows not even reaching the target, but after a few more tries and some pointers from Roy, his arrows were now reaching their mark. Mostly around the edge of the target boards, but hey, progress was progress.

"Now, take a deep breath-" Roy instructed. Kaden sucked in a deep breath and held it for a moment as he drew back on the bowstring "and fire!" Kaden loosed the shaft with a twang and the arrow whistled through the air, striking the target. The arrow embedded itself in one of the inner rings and Kaden let out a cheer.  
"Haha! yeah!" He cheered, pumping his fist through the air. Roy laughed and clapped the teen on the back, a prideful grin on his face. He trotted across the field and grabbed the arrows out of the board and returned to Kaden and high-fived the teen

"Not bad, Kades, not bad. You're a natural," Roy complimented. Kaden grinned pridefully as he nocked another arrow.  
"One more time? Please?" Kaden asked, giving them an his best puppy eyes look. Roy frowned a bit and crossed his arms over his chest; the kid had his father's puppy eyes look. _Cheating!_  
"Alright, one more, and then we'll go get some lunch, alright?" Roy replied with a smirk, patting the boy on the back. Kaden cheered and sighted down the shaft of the arrow. He felt Roy's hand on his shoulder and arm again.  
"Remember, deep breaths. Focus," Roy whispered. Kaden sucked in another deep breath, drawing back on the bow string. He held for a few moments, closing on eye and sighting down the shaft of the arrow with the other, and then...twang...he loosed the arrow and it whizzed through the air, striking the target board, just on the edge of the center ring. Both Roy and Kaden let out a cheer and Roy clapped the teen on the back before trotting across the field to collect the arrow.  
"Like I said, you're a natural! Keep practicing!" Roy complimented, leading Kaden to his car, a red 2009 Dodge Challenger. Kaden grinned pridefully up at his...uncle? dad? After learning about his and his parents'...relationship...he wasn't' sure what to call him right now. He thought 'dad' seemed appropriate, all things considered, but it was still somewhat confusing.

The walk back to the car was rather silent; Roy could see the teen was deep in thought and didn't want to interrupt him. Considering recent events, it didn't exactly take a rocket scientist to figure out what might be on his mind.

"So, whaddaya want? Pizza? Fast Food? Maybe go back to the apartment and I can cook-"  
"Pfft, you cook? This I have to see," Kaden teased. Roy frowned and playfully shoved the teen.  
"Hey, your dad and I might have a lot in common, but cooking is not one of those things. I can actually cook!" Roy replied. Kaden snorted playfully in response and waved his hand dismissively so Roy took that as a challenge. "Alright, my cooking it is."

The two of them returned to Roy's apartment and Kaden made himself at home while Roy cooked lunch. Kaden had been here only a few times before; Star City was literally on the other side of the country from Gotham so the distance made it difficult to visit. Fortunately, Grandpa Bruce had 'business in Star City' and offered to let Kaden come with him on his private jet. Roy's apartment was like his home away from home, not counting Wayne Manor, of course.

"Hey kiddo, lunch is ready!" Roy called from the kitchen. Kaden hopped up off of the couch and made his way to the kitchen and was impressed with what he saw; Roy was sitting at the table with a plate of bacon cheese fries and a cheeseburger in front of him, and likewise at an empty space for Kaden. The teen eyed Roy for a moment, who flashed a smirk, then he sat down at the table and took a bite of the burger.

"Mmmm. Wow, uncle Roy, this is pretty amazing," Kaden complimented, eating some of the fries.  
"All home made. Told you I can cook," he said with a wink and a grin. The two of them ate in silence for a time after that, Kaden having drifted off into his thoughts again. It seemed like the whole meal was going to be silent, until Kaden finally broke through the silent atmosphere.

"I'm not mad at you," Kaden finally said, taking that last bite of his burger. Roy looked up at him and waited for him to go on; he wondered when the boy might bring this up. "Or, not anymore. I guess I was a little mad, but-"  
"You're still mad at your dad, huh?" Roy asked. Kaden gave a nod.  
"Eight years he kept it a secret from me. Eight years you were like..another dad to me, practically. Why would he keep that a secret?" Roy finished his burger and took a few sips of his drink, considering the answer carefully. Usually in tight situations like this, he'd fall back on jokes and sarcasm, but Kaden deserved better than that right now.  
"I don't know, Kades. Your dad is a complicated guy. He probably figured it'd be better if you didn't know. Y'know, because two dads is not considered normally and-"  
"Yeah, Alfred said the same thing," Kaden said with a chuckle of amusement "only more eloquently.  
"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?!" Roy replied in mock offense. Kaden laughed and waved his hand dismissively.  
"It means you're a dork, dad," Kaden replied with a laugh. Roy smiled at the term 'dad'.  
"It's okay if I call you that right? I mean, you kind of are, and-"  
"Like I said Kades, you can call me whatever you want."  
"Great! But I think I'll call you just uncle around dad. That'd be less confusing," the teen said with a laugh. His phone rang then so his fished through his pocket for it.

"Hey grandpa. What's up?" Kaden asked. Kaden nodded his head a few times as his grandfather spoke to him. "Alright. Okay, see you in an hour." Kaden hung up the phone and pocketed it again, heaving a sigh. "Grandpa's coming to get mt in two hours to go back to Gotham. He's all done here." Roy gave a silent nod and Kaden helped him with the dishes.

"Before I go, do you think we can practice with that bow for a little bit more?" Kaden asked, scrubbing his plate with a sponge. Roy looked over at the teen as he dried his own plate and placed it on the drying rack.  
"Sure thing," he replied with a grin, ruffling the teen's hair. The two of them finished up and Kaden grabbed up his bow, rushing for the door.  
"C'mon, we don't have much time!" he called excitedly. Roy laughed and followed after the teen with his own bow.  
"I'm coming!" he called. He patted Kaden's back and said "and y'know what?" Kaden looked up at the man curiously as they made their way downstairs. "Why don't you keep the bow?"  
"What?! Really?!" Kaden asked, wide-eyed ion surprise. Roy grinned and gave a nod.  
"Sure. It's all yours." Kaden hugged the man, grinning like a kid in a candy store.  
"You're the best!"


	42. The Halloween Ball

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick, Jason and Kaden attend Bruce's annual Halloween Costume Ball.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Halloween guys! Enjoy the story. :D
> 
> Dick - 39  
> Roy - 38  
> Jason - 37  
> Lian - 16  
> Kaden - 14

“C'mon Jason, please?” Dick asked following Jason through the apartment and even using his best puppy eyes on him. But alas, Jason wouldn't budge.

“No, Dick. I am _not_ wearing that! Not for Halloween, or anything else!” Jason replied, shaking his head as he retreated to the bedroom to hide from the man. “You can't get me in that costume for all the money in the world!” he replied, closing the door behind him. Dick frowned a bit; Kaden had been easy to convince, so he was certain Jason wouldn't be too hard. Unfortunately, his usual charms were not working.

“Jaybird, please? They're really nice costumes and Alfred and I worked really hard on them. Do it for me? Please?” Dick asked again softly through the door. He even upped the game a bit, gave a little cry, shed a fake tear. That act always worked.

“It's not working, Dick! That trick doesn't work on me!” Jason called back. Dick huffed to himself and dried his fake tears away. Then an idea came to mind and he grinned like the Cheshire Cat. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and sifted through his pictures until he found the perfect one. He'd taken this one a few weeks ago; a picture of Jason and Roy snuggled together on the couch. Dick chuckled to himself and then knelt down in front of the door, sliding his phone underneath. He stood back up and folded his arms behind his back, waiting patiently.

“Fine,” Jason said with a defeated sigh, opening the door and handing the phone back to Dick. “You know I could've deleted that, right?” he asked. Dick chuckled and pressed a kiss to Jason's jaw.

“You know I probably made copies, right?”

._._._._.

Dick, Jason and Kaden made their way to the manor for Bruce's annual Halloween Costume Ball. They missed it last year because Dick had to go to work in Bludhaven last year; crime spiked that night from the gangs. But this year, they made sure to make it. It was a cold night though, so the three of them brought their coats along with them. When they arrived the three of them headed for the door and rang the bell. Dozens of cars were already parked and guests were still arriving, so they assumed they were on time for once. 

Alfred opened the door and to their surprise, he'd even dressed up this year; as one of Dick's favorite Disney characters no less, Cogsworth.

“Alfred, hey! Costume looks great!” Dick complimented, looking over the, frankly, very well tailored costume. Alfred flashed a small smile and invited the three of them in.

“Cogsworth, right Alfred?” Kaden asked, hugging the old man before making his way inside. Alfred gave a nod and took their coats from them.

“Indeed, Master Kaden. And you three are?” Alfred asked. Shedding their coats, they revealed their costumes, costumes Dick made himself. The costumes on question were white with red swirl patterns, face masks included. The three of them each had a red sash around their waists and red wrist bands. Kaden's costume was a full body unitard with a face mask. Dick and Jason wore white and red tights with white and red sleeveless, open vests with face masks.

“We're circus Aerialists. Like Cirque Du Soleil, you remember?” Kaden asked with a smile on his face. The whole family had gone to see Cirque Du Soleil for Kaden's ninth birthday. He'd been so amazed and excited about the show, it only made him want to be an acrobat more than ever. So when Dick proposed the idea for this year's Halloween costume, Kaden had only been too happy to oblige.

“Ah yes, of course I remember. I still remember the little boy who was captivated by the show as well,” Alfred said with a small chuckle, ruffling Kaden's hair a bit. He gestured toward the ballroom where the guests were gathered and the three of them joined them. They spotted Lian who waved them over; she was dressed as Padme Amidala.

“Uncle Jay! Uncle D! Good to see you guys!” Lian said cheerily, hugging her uncles, and then Kaden. The teen blushed a little and was then very thankful for the face mask. “And you too Kaden! Your costumes look great!”

“Hey baby girl,” Jason said smoothly, looking around for Roy.

“Where's Roy?” Dick asked, voicing Jason's thoughts. Lian looked around and waved him over. Roy came over to them dressed in a white tunic with a brown robe over it. He had a blue lightsaber in one hand, and a fake beard on his face.

“Hey guys, nice costumes!” Roy aid with a smirk.

“Obi Wan Kenobi?” Jason asked, quirking an eyebrow. Roy grinned and looked himself over.

“You like it?”

“I think you look awesome!” Kaden said cheerily, hugging the man. Roy chuckled in amusement and returned the favor, then glanced over toward Bruce.

“You should see Bruce. He definitely lacks for originality,” Roy joked, snickering in amusement as he looked toward the man. Bruce was chatting with Clark, Connor and Tim on the other side of the room. Bruce was dressed as Dracula.

“Hmph. That took a lot of thought,” Jason whispered to Dick with a smirk on his face. Dick snickered to himself and playfully jabbed Jason in the side with his elbow. Clark and Connor were both dressed as zombies; raggedy clothes, fake blood and make up, the whole nine yards. Tim's costume was the most interesting of the four of them, dressed as The Mad Hatter from the movie 'Alice in Wonderland'.

“Bruce, hey!” Dick called with a smile, Kaden practically bouncing beside him, with Jason trailing behind them, as the three of them made their way over. Bruce, Clark, Connor and Tim all turned to see the trio heading their way.

“Hey guys, nice costumes!” Clark complimented.  
“Yeah, not bad. You look good,” Connor added.  
“How'd you get Jason in that thing?” Tim asked with a sly smirk. Dick opened his mouth to answer, but Jason clamped his hand over his mouth to silence him.

“Blackmail.”

“Sounds about right,” Bruce put in with a slight smirk.

“Sorry I'm late father. I had to find my dignity after donning this...costume,” came Damian's voice from behind them. The three of them turned and Jason started laughing when he saw Damian's costume. Damian stopped before them, glaring at Jason. He was dressed in a pair of black pants, a black long sleeve shirt, black dress shoes, and a white collar. He had a white and gold trimmed stole around his neck with a gold cross on either end of it.

“Oh my god, this is just too much,” Jason snorted, followed by another laugh. Damian's glaring intensified, and it was only to Bruce's intervention that Damian didn't attempt to kill him.

“Alright, that's enough Jason. Your costume looks fine, Damian,” Bruce said evenly. Damian snorted and tugged at the collar but Dick swatted his hand away.

“That's one of the most important parts of the costume! You look good Dames, don't ruin it!,” Dick said with a chuckle of amusement.

“Tt, whatever,” the younger man shot back with a sigh. 

The party went on for a good hour or two, now almost eight o'clock when Kaden pulled his parents aside.

“C'mon dad, Papa, we need to get going before it gets too late!” Kaden said cheerily. Dick and Jason exchanged a look before glancing back to their fourteen-year-old son curiously.

“Too late for what?” Jason asked. Kaden huffed and rolled his eyes, a smirk tugging at his lips.

“For tick-or-treating of course,” Kaden replied, matter-of-factly. Dick laughed and Jason rolled his eyes, wrapping his arm around the teen's shoulders and leading them out of the manor.

“Aren't you a little old for trick-or-treating, Kades?” he asked. Kaden snorted in response as he grabbed their jackets.

“Are you kidding?! Trick-or-treating is my favorite part of Halloween!”


	43. Spring Cleaning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was that time of year once again; spring. Which meant spring cleaning. Not Kaden's favorite thing to do, but his dad really liked the house neat and tidy, which included his room. Unfortunately, being a teenage boy, his room was kind of a disaster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has no purpose whatsoever. This randomly popped into my head yesterday and was stuck in my head all day, so I decided to write it, for shits and giggles. x) So I hope you enjoy it as much as I did imagining it, lol. xD
> 
> Dick - 40  
> Jason - 38  
> Kaden - 15

It was that time of year once again; spring. Which meant spring cleaning. Not Kaden's favorite thing to do, but his dad really liked the house neat and tidy, which included his room. Unfortunately, being a teenage boy, his room was kind of a disaster. He was, his father joked, a slob like Dick was. His papa was always leaving things scattered around the apartment, much to his father's annoyance. Kaden himself had been guilty of that on a few occasions, such as kicking his shoes off in the hallway, or leaving a t-shirt draped over the back of the chair.

“NO! Put it in the hamper! Dick, you pick that fucking shirt up and put it in the hamper or I'll break both your legs!” Kaden heard his father shout. Kaden snickered in amusement to himself, covering his mouth, just in case because his parents had really good hearing.

“Relax Jason, it's just a shirt!” Dick called back.

“I don't care, pick it up you fucking slob!”

Kaden soon found himself sitting on his bed dressed in naught but a pair of red dorm pants, struggling not to laugh. His dad was quite serious about keeping the house clean and tidy, but he wasn't as bad as Alfred at least. No one risked spilling anything, not even blood, on any of the carpets or furniture in the manor. When Kaden finally got a hold of himself, he looked around his room and heaved a sigh. Where to begin? Well, first thing was first; he needed music. If he was to clean up his room before his father came to inspect it, he was going to have music. So the teen powered up his computer and loaded up one of his playlists and turned up the volume before getting to work. He started with the clothes littering the floor, grabbing up the various shirts, pants and socks scattered everywhere, putting anything that looked dirty in his own little hamper in the closet. Then he got to cleaning up his bed, which had more clothes, and some books and magazines scattered across it.

Of course once that was said and done and he could see the floor again, it appeared to be a bit dusty. So he made his way out to the kitchen to grab the broom. He raked a hand through his hair and heaved a sigh as he padded back into his room, closing the door behind himself. And so the work began, as he started sweeping up the dust and bits of paper and whatever else was on his floor.

Impossibly bored with the task of cleaning, he decided to lighten the mood a bit; he moved over to his desk and changed the song. His fingers and his foot started tapping to the beet as he brushed the floor with the broom. Soon enough he found himself singing along.

“Come and get your love. Come and get your looove!” Kaden started singing, using the end of the broom as a microphone. He grinned from ear to ear, still singing along, a bounce in his step, almost dancing as he continued with the task at hand. He laughed a bit to himself as he started using the broom like an air guitar.

“Hell, what the matter with your feel right don't you feel right baby! Hell oh ya get it from the mainline all right ,” he sang out loud, the music blaring as he danced around his room. “Come and get your Lo-” Kaden started again as he spun around and to his dismay, his papa was standing in the doorway, watching him. 

Dick's lips tugged into an ear-to-ear grin, his arms crossed, leaning against the doorway as he watched the teen amusedly. He almost laughed at the teen's shocked expressed, his face turning pink as he'd been caught.

“Having fun, are we?” Dick asked with a slight laugh. Kaden's face burned red as he quickly dropped the broom and opened and close his mouth like a fish out of water.

“I was...uh...just-”

“Singing and dancing with the broom?” Dick asked, quirking an eyebrow. Kaden clamped his mouth shout and slowly piked the broom back up.

“How much of that did you see?” he asked. Dick chuckled in amusement and waved his hand dismissively.

“Enough. The music wasn't as loud as you thought it was,” Dick answered. Kaden chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck as he looked around the room and found it nice and tidy, save for the pile of dust he'd been sweeping up. Dick grinned again and retreated from the bedroom, returning with a dust pan, helping Kaden gather up the dust. As Dick was leaving, Jason stopped in Kaden's doorway and looked the room over. 

“Not bad. Looks nice. Good job kiddo,” Jason said with a smile before retreating from the room. Kaden smirked to himself and sat down at his desk. He popped in his headphones and started up another song, this time only mouthing the words so as not to embarrass himself yet again.


	44. Growing Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I will. In the meantime, spend some time with your son,” Dick answered, nodding toward Kaden who was still sitting at the kitchen table, texting on his phone. Jason glanced over his shoulder at the teen, then back to Dick and gave a nod. “We’ve both been really busy lately, but you most of all. It’d be good for both of you. And relax. He’s a teenager, not a meta human super villain,” Dick joked. Jason snorted and rolled his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little Christmas present for my good friend, and partner-in-crime, kate1zena! :P It took me a while to decide what exactly I wanted to do, but with Christmas just around the corner, I decided to go with something uber fluffy. And the idea of Jason being a dad? Well, it doesn't get much fluffier than that. Except maybe Dick being a dad, which probably involved watching Disney movies together and singing along to all the songs. Anywho, Merry Christmas, and enjoy the cavities! :D
> 
> Dick - 40  
> Jason - 38  
> Kaden - 15

Dick heaved a sigh as he finished dressing for work. Today was supposed to be his day off, but there was a gang war going down in Bludhaven and the BPD needed all hands on deck. Dick had been looking forward to spending the whole day with his husband and his son, but alas--

“Duty calls,” Dick said, kissing Jason’s check and placing a kiss atop Kaden’s head. The two of them were at the kitchen table, eating breakfast.

“Really, Papa?” Kaden asked, disappointed. Dick flashed a sad smile and gave a nod.

“I’m sorry Little Wing. I wish I didn’t have to, but the BPD wouldn’t have called me on on my off-time if it wasn’t something big,” Dick replied, straightening his tie. He gave the both of them a good look as they ate their pancakes and smiled to himself. He knew he should be used to it by now, but it continued to take him by surprise, just how much alike his boys were.

“Take care, Dick,” Jason said, flashing him a smile before sipping his coffee. Dick smiled back and headed for the door. He reached for the handle, but Jason stopped him, padding over toward him.

“Jaybird? What’s up?” Dick asked curiously. Jason frowned.

“Are you sure you don’t want any help? I mean, maybe an appearance from the Red Hood could--”

“No, I’ll be fine, I promise. We’ve dealt with much worse,” Dick pointed out with a smile. Jason’s frown deepened but he gave a nod in response. “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine, Nightwing gear or no.” He leaned forward, cupping Jason’s jaw, and kissed his lips tenderly. Jason closed his eyes and leaned into the kiss, snaking an arm around Dick’s waist and pulling him close.

“Fine. Just come back in one piece,” Jason said with a little pout, earning a chuckle of amusement from Dick.

“I will. In the meantime, spend some time with your son,” Dick answered, nodding toward Kaden who was still sitting at the kitchen table, texting on his phone. Jason glanced over his shoulder at the teen, then back to Dick and gave a nod. “We’ve both been really busy lately, but you most of all. It’d be good for both of you. And relax. He’s a teenager, not a meta human super villain,” Dick joked. Jason snorted and rolled his eyes.

“I fail to see the difference, but sure,” Jason answered, stealing another quick kiss before Dick made his way out of the apartment. He closed the door shut behind Dick and heaved a sigh, turning back toward the inside of the apartment.

Jason stared at Kaden in silence for a few moments, eyeing the teen curiously. He wasn’t sure what to do with him. Sure, he knew what Kaden liked, but he was a _teenager_. Teenagers were rambunctious, rebellious, and pains in the asses. Kaden proved to be no exception. Dick seemed like a natural dad, and Kaden always wanted to spend time with him, doing everything from acrobatics, to watching Disney movies. Even Roy seemed to get alone better with Kaden than he did.

The truth was, Jason, even after fifteen long years, was still stumbling around in the dark with parenting. It wasn’t like he had a whole lot of good examples. His own parents were a criminal and a drug addict, followed by a guy who dressed up as a Bat, then came Talia, who turned him into a killing machine. The closest role model he had was Alfred. 

Furthermore, he and Kaden were butting heads a lot. Dick claimed it was because the two of them were so much alike. He once joked that if he hadn’t known Kaden, he’d have though the teen was a mini-Jason. And truth be told, Jason could see it plain as day, often in ways he wish he didn’t. They shared the same scowl and, unfortunately, the same attitude. Kaden was in a much better spot with his anger than he had been at that age though. Jason had taken up the role of the stern parent, because he wanted Kaden to have a better life than he did. It wasn’t that Dick was incapable of being stern, he just seemed to be naturally better with kids. Of all ages.

“So, just you and me today Kades,” Jason said smoothly, rubbing the back of his neck as he padded back toward the kitchen. He really wanted to spend more time with Kaden, time bonding and doing things together, rather than butting heads. But his work as the Red Hood had pulled him away from his family on more than a few occasions, and that was when he wasn’t busy working down at the garage. Today was different though; he put Blackjack in charge, so he couldn’t have to take any time away from Kaden today.

“Mhm,” Kaden replied, still texting on his phone. And so it seemed Kaden was still a bit angry about him having taken off on both he and Dick last time. _Great_. Not that he could blame the kid. They were playing laser tag at the Arcade in Midtown. Both Jason and Dick had had the day off from their respective jobs, when Jason got a call from one of his lieutenants. Jason could still see the disappointed look on his son’s face, and _god did that hurt_. He’d seen it his fair share of times when Kaden was still a little boy, but even as a teenager, it was still like a punch to the gut.

“So…what do you wanna do?” Jason asked, sitting down at the table across from the boy. Kaden glanced up from hos phone for a second before glancing back down at it and shrugging his shoulders.

“I dunno,” he replied. Jason frowned and heaved an exasperated sigh. He pinched the bridge of his nose and buried his frustration. After a few moments, he reached across the table and snatched the teen’s phone away from him. “Hey! What the--dad, give it back!” Kaden called angrily, reaching after it. Jason held it out of reach and motioned for Kaden to sit back down. The teen gave a scowl and crossed his arms over his chest, flopping back down into his chair angrily.

Jason couldn’t help but arch a black brow at how much the teen looked just like him when he scowled.

“Look, Kades, I know you’re still mad at me for running out on you and Papa last week--”

“You _promised_ , dad! You promised Papa and I that you’d spend the whole day with us, and you ended up working the whole day instead!” Kaden snapped at him. “Why does Grandpa need your help so much anyway? Aren’t you, like, a mechanic or something? And a bartender at night?”

Ouch. That kind of stung a little. But Jason resisted the urge to snap at the teen; he was upset, and rightfully so. His work as the Red Hood had him running around during the day sometimes, and there were so many times when the excuse that ‘the garage is shorthanded’ would work. So they had to make up some new, believable, excuses to cover their bases; Kaden was getting suspicious. 

“Come on Kaden, give your dad another chance, yeah? I want to make it up to you,” Jason asked, pleading a little bit. Truth be told, he really, really wanted to spend some time with Kaden. So he’d gone the extra mile for the last week, after he was pulled away from them during Laser Tag, to ensure that he’d have some more free time the next time he had a chance to hang out with Kaden. Needless to say, that meant a bit of extra violence, threats, and blackmail, but it was worth it.

“Hmph. Fine, I guess. But you promise, no work today, right?” Kaden asked. Jason beamed excitedly and fished through his pocket for his black phone.

“Yeah, I promise kiddo. In fact, I’m gonna call in right now and make sure of it,” Jason replied, unlocking the phone and padding into the bedroom. “I’m just gonna get dressed and we’ll go out, alright?” he called back. Kaden smiled brightly and slid away from the kitchen table, padding down the hallway to his bedroom and greeting Star cheerily. Once Kaden was out of sight, Jason closed his bedroom door.

“Blackjack? It’s the Red Hood. Look, today is my day off, so you’re in charge. And tell those mother fuckers, if this phone so much as beeps at me today, I’ll personally hunt them down and wring their fucking necks with my bare, god damn hands,” Jason growled venomously into the phone. Blackjack chuckled in amusement.

“You got it boss. Don’t worry, I got this.”

“Good. Red Hood out,” Jason barked, hanging up the phone. He stared down at it in silence for a few minutes, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. After another moment’s pause, he stashed it away in one of the drawers in the dresser. There were not going to be any interruptions today; he was determined to spend the day with Kaden without interference from “work”.

Once that was done, Jason grabbed a red t-shirt out of the drawer and tugged it on, then pulled on a pair of dark jeans, kicked on his boots and grabbed his favorite brown leather jacket. He combed his hair into place with his fingers, then grabbed the keys for the Lamborghini.

“So, you ready champ?” Jason asked, making his way out of the room to find Kaden waiting patiently, dressed in a pair of dark jeans, a black t-shirt with a red Bat Symbol on it, and a black leather jacket, the teen’s hair styled similarly to his own, white streak and all. He couldn’t help but smile a bit as a wave of nostalgia hit him…

_Kaden was thirteen at the time. He’d been in the bathroom for a while with no sounds, save for an occasional rush of water from the sink. Jason was watching a UFC match on TV and Dick was busy in the kitchen, cooking dinner. But curiosity had gotten the better of him. So Dick went over to the bathroom door and gave a knock._

_“Kades? You okay in there?” Dick asked. There was a pause from the other side, followed by the sounds of fumbling and objects hitting the floor._

_“Y-yeah! I’ll be right out!” Kaden called. Dick frowned and glanced over at Jason who just shrugged in response. After another minute or so, Kaden finally came out of the bathroom. “Okay…um, all done! Bye!” Kaden said, trying to flee toward his bedroom. But Dick glanced into the bathroom, grabbing Kaden by his arm at the same time, and saw the mess; white hair dye all over the sink, with the box and packet for the dye sitting in the trash. He turned Kaden and forced the teen to look up at him and gasped._

_“What’d you do to your hair?!” Dick asked incredulously, fingers threading through a lock of white in front of his eyes._

_“What’s going on?” Jason asked, padding over to see what all the commotion was about. And that was when he saw Kaden’s hair and quirked an eyebrow._

_“Um…well,” Kaden murmured, his face turning red as he fidgeted in place. “I…I wanted to be more like dad,” he murmured, glancing over at his father nervously._

“Yeah, ready when you are dad. Where are we going?” Kaden asked, adjusting his jacket as he headed for the door. Star trotted up behind him with her tail wagging, but he turned and stopped her, patting her ears. “No, you stay here girl. It’s just me and dad.” Star whined but turned and padded back into Kaden’s bedroom.

“Actually, I thought I’d let you pick. What do you want to do, kiddo?” Jason asked. Kaden grinned from ear to ear.

-.-.-.-.-

“Get him! Go, go, go!” Kaden shouted, jumping out of his seat with his father up on his feet beside him. Today was the last day of a UFC event in Gotham City and Kaden had really wanted to go. With his dad, of course. It was one of the interested they shared, and one of the many ways they were alike, as the both of them jumped up and down, fists pumping through the air as hey cheered for their favorite fighter.

“That’s it! Push him! Go, go!” Jason shouted, cupping his hands around his mouth. He glanced over at Kaden and couldn’t help but to grin as the teen really got into it. He turned his attention back to the match in time to see their fighter scoring a knock out punch for the win. The two of them cheered along with the roar of the crowd.

Later, the two of them came out of the building with drinks in hand and Kaden, with a wide grin plastered across his face. It was the first time that either of them had gone to an actual event and they’d both really enjoyed it. Kaden even made his father promise that they’d do it again.

“Ah well, that was fun,” Jason said, wrapping an arm around his son’s shoulders. “So, what now kiddo? I promised you the whole day,” Jason asked. Kaden sipped his drink and glanced up at his father. He was silent for a moment as he considered his options.

“We could go grab a bite to eat? Then maybe just go to the park and…hang out,” Kaden suggested with a shrug of his shoulders. Jason flashed the teen a smile and gave a nod in reply. 

“Sure thing kiddo.”

“Chili Dogs, right?” Kaden put in with a smile. Jason snorted in reply.

“Well duh.”

-.-.-.-.-

And so it was, after a drive across the city to the local park, the two of them grabbed chili dogs at a hot dog stand nearby. The two of them made exaggerated ‘mmm’ sounds when they bit into their chili dogs.

“Damn, this is like heaven on a bun,” Kaden said, making another ‘mmm’ sound as he chewed his food. Jason swallowed, then glanced over at Kaden.

“Right? Doesn’t get much better than this,” Jason commented with a grin, taking another bite of his chili dog. He wrapped an arm around his son’s shoulders and led the teen down the sidewalk, a silence settling between them as they ate. He glanced over at Kaden, noted how tall the teen had gotten; he was only two inches shy of being Dick’s height now. The kid had gained a good three inches this year and at the rate he was going? He wouldn’t be surprised if the boy grew to be as tall as him!

It was also quite the realization. Jason’s little boy, that little baby boy he brought home all those years ago, was growing up. Kaden happened to glance over at his father as he finished his chili dog and caught him staring. Kaden chuckled nervously, crumbling the wrapped and tossing it into a nearby garbage can.

“What?” he asked curiously. Jason just shrugged, finishing his own and tossing the balled up wrapped over his head, and back into the trash can behind them.

“Nothing. Just…thinking,” Jason replied.

“Oh yeah? Doesn’t sound like you. You sure you’re feeling alright?” Kaden asked with a teasing grin, playfully jabbing his dad in the side with his elbow. Jason snorted and elbowed him back.

“Yeah, Damian,” Jason teased back, to which Kaden made a mock shocked sound.

“Noway! I’m way more fun than Dames is,” Kaden replied in mock offense, earning a laugh from Jason.

“I was just thinking of how much you’ve grown,” Jason admitted. Kaden snickered to himself.

“Not worried about your little boy growing all up, are you?” he teased again.

“Actually, yeah,” Jason answered honestly. Kaden’s smile faded and he donned a serious look, his attention squarely on his dad. The man just smiled at him and ruffled his hair. “Look, I’m not much for the emotional crap like your Papa is. Talking about my feelings? Ugh,” Jason answered, rolling his eyes and earning a laugh from Kaden. “But you’re growing up and coming into your own and I guess…I’m just scared, y’know?”

“Scared? Why?” Kaden asked, arching an eyebrow.

“Well, one, because I’m your dad and what parent _doesn’t_ worry about their kid, no matter how much of a little ass he is,” Jason replied, nudging Kaden with his elbow and earning a nudge back. “I just…I guess I just…wanna know if I’m doing a good job. I want to know that when you’re ready to brave the world, that I did the best I could.”

Kaden stared up at his father in silence for a time, even as the man stared at the ground with his hands jammed into his jacket pockets.

“Well, I wouldn’t worry about that. You’re doing a good job from where I’m standing,” Kaden replied with a bright smile. Jason glanced over at Kaden and flashed the teen a smirk before grabbing him in a headlock and ruffling his hair.

“Yeah, you think so, kid?”

“Ah! Uncle! Uncle!” Kaden called with a laugh as he struggled to free himself from his father’s hold.

-.-.-.-.-

Dick heaved an weary sigh as he practically pulled himself through the front door, closing it shut with his foot and hanging his jacket up on a coat peg. Bludhaven had been rough on him today, and so he asked Tim if he wouldn’t mind posing as Nightwing for the night and patrolling Bludhaven for him. He’d spent all day, as Officer Grayson, breaking up the gang war and tracking down suspects, bringing in other criminals, and so on and so forth.

But he was revitalized by the sight before him in the living room. He smiled brightly as he beheld Jason and Kaden sitting on the couch playing video games together, cheering and laughing, Kaden claiming victory over his father and Jason groaning in defeat, scrubbing his face with his hands. There were empty take out boxes, of Chinese food, sitting on the coffee table as well as a few empty soda cans. It looked as if they’d had a pretty good day.

“Wow, you two look like you’re having fun,” Dick commented, crossing his arms over his chest and arching an eyebrow as he grinned at his boys. Kaden and Jason pulled their eyes from their game to look at Dick. Kaden smiled brightly and set the controller down.

“Welcome home Papa,” Kaden said cheerily, hopping off of the couch to hug the man. Dick chuckled in amusement and hugged the teen back, kissing the top of his head. Jason watched in amusement, setting his controller down and just watching it unfold.

“So, you and dad had fun today?” Dick asked, glancing over at Jason. Kaden grinned from ear to ear and recounted their day for Dick. While the teen spoke, Dick glanced toward Jason who had a pretty prideful grin on his face.

“So, sounds like he made up for last time, huh?” Dick asked. Kaden glanced over at his father and nodded.

“Definitely,” Kaden replied. Dick chuckled at him, ruffling his hair before pressing a kiss to his forehead.

“Well, that’s good to hear. Why don’t you go to your room while I talk to your dad?”

“Sure. I don’t want to be in the same room when you guys start doing it,” Kaden replied, giving a dismissive hand wave as he retreated to his bedroom. Jason let out a bark of laughter.

“Just wait ‘till you have kids of your own one day!” Jason called after him. Dick laughed and sunk down onto the couch beside his husband, leaning over for a deep, passionate kiss.

“Proud of you, Jaybird. You’re a good dad. Never doubt that,” Dick said softly, caressing Jason’s face with his thumb. Jason smiled at him and stole another kiss.

“Yeah. We’ve raised a good kid.”


	45. Father's Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Father's Day is here and Kaden and Lian have it all planned out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little Father's Day prompt. It's early because I won't have internet for a bit for the next week or so, maybe. This one was stubborn to write so it's a little shorter than usual. Regardless, I hope you enjoy it anyway! ^_^
> 
> Dick - 40  
> Roy - 39  
> Jason - 38  
> Lian - 17  
> Kaden - 15

Lian and Kaden discussed a plan for Father's Day a week in advance and decided to work on something together, considering the nature of their parents' relationship with each other. So Lian had it arranged for her and her father to come to Gotham, and from there, she kicked the three of them out of the apartment to go out and have fun, but she insisted they be home by six. Honestly, it felt kinda good to boss the parents around for a change, not gonna lie.

As soon as the car left the apartment building, Lian turned to Kaden and smiled brightly.

“Alrighty, let's get to work! Do you know what you want to get your parents?” Lian asked, stopping before the younger teen. Kaden flushed a little, hiding his face with is hair, as he turned his back on her and paced a little, jamming his hands in his pockets. He pulled some folded up magazine ads with the gifts for his parents circled. 

“Well I, uh...figured I'd get this new game I saw yesterday. It's called Dying Light. I figured he and I could play it together. I know he likes zombie games,” Kaden said smoothly, turning back to face Lian. 

“Zombie games, hmm? Well I've got my dad covered,” Lian said with a little laugh.

“Papa is harder to buy for. He keeps saying he doesn't need anything, but I thought that maybe he'd like a pressure point roller. And a Travel Poker set for Roy,” Kaden said, finishing his list. Lian looked up at him and quirked an eyebrow.

“What? Roy's...kinda like my dad too,” Kaden muttered with a slight blush, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. Lian giggled and waved her hand dismissively.

“Oh, I know. Dick and Jason are kinda like my dads too. I meant, like, a poker set?”

“Well yeah, why not? Dad and Roy play Poker almost every time they're together,” Kaden replied with a shrug. “Here,” he said, handing the folded ads to Lian. She looked them over and tucked them in her pocket.

“Alright, great! I got my dad's keys so I'll go do the shopping. Sure you can handle the cake?” Lian asked, making for the door. Kaden frowned at the suggestion but gave a nod nonetheless.

“Great, I'll start dinner when I get back. Try not to burn the place down,” she teased.

“Oh, ha ha!” Kaden shot back with an eye roll and a smirk. Lian laughed and headed out the door. Kaden turned and made his way into the kitchen, grabbing a cookbook from the bookshelf on his way there. How hard could it be to bake a cake? 

Kaden took the book to the counter and cracked it open, looking for a cake recipe and settled for a chocolate cake. He looked through the ingredients and grabbed a bowl, some measuring cups, the electric mixer and the various ingredients from the fridge and cupboards. He turned to the oven and set it to pre-heat, then back to the book and started the work of making the cake mix.

That proved to be a tad bit more difficult than Kaden had expected; when he turned on the electric mixer, he had the power on a bit too high...  
“Fuck!” he cursed, as bits of cake mix flew out of the bowl. A few small splotches splattered across the counter and he narrowly avoided getting some on his face; it struck the fridge instead. Huffing in annoyance, he turned the power down and tried again, this time to better results.

Once that was done, he poured the mix into a pan...and some of it missed and hit the floor. Cue another curse as he nearly slipped in it. Grumbling to himself, he slipped the cake into the oven and then set the egg timer. He turned to look at the mess he'd made and groaned, face palming.

“Damn. Baking sucks,” he muttered to himself, grabbing some paper towel and wiping up the cake batter. He sighed and wiped his brow once the kitchen was cleaned up and glanced toward the egg timer; _time to play the waiting game_. Kaden slipped into his room and came back with a book, _The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy_ , and parked himself at the kitchen table.

He'd gotten so into the book, he almost missed the egg timer going off, art which point he scrambled out of his seat to check on the cake.

“Oh god, please don't be burnt, don't be burnt, don't be burnt!” Kaden muttered, rushing around the kitchen to grab an oven mitt. He pulled open the oven and pulled out the cake; to his surprise, it look pretty good. “Oh yeah, score one for Kaden! I can fuckin' bake!” Kaden said cheerily, pumping his fist in the air. He looked into the cookbook again, and groaned; more waiting. So he returned to his book.

A knock came at the door which pulled Kaden from his book. He glanced toward the door, then up at the clock. _Holy crap, where'd my day go?!_ It was noon when he took the cake out of the oven, and now it was almost 4pm. Kaden bookmarked his page and close his book, moving toward the door. He pulled it open to see Lian at the door with some large, colorful gift bags and a couple of regular shopping bags.

“Thanks,” she said as he held the door open for her, closing it shut behind her. Kaden eyed the bags curiously before returning to the kitchen to ice the cake. Lian followed suit with the couple of groceries bags and started pulling out foodstuffs to cook dinner. She started up the stove put a skillet on it and got to chopping up the meat for stir fry.

“This is going to be so great!” Lian said excitedly, glancing over at Kaden over her shoulder. Kaden chuckled in amusement as he finished spreading a layer of white frosting over the cake.

“I can't wait to see the look on their faces!” Kaden agreed, humming contentedly as he grabbed a tube of icing and started decorating the cake. The two of them went about their work in silence, Kaden finishing the cake and popping it in the fridge. Lian was finishing up the stir fry, pouring some Soy sauce in it and mixing it up. She and Kaden both spent a most of the time chopping and dicing vegetables, tossing in steak strips, carrots, broccoli, red and yellow peppers, and chopped onion.

It was almost six pm when everything was set and waiting so Lian and Kaden spent the rest of the time cleaning up the kitchen. Once again., it was time to play the waiting game.

_._._._._

It was nearly ten pm when Dick, Jason and Roy made their way into the apartment. Roy and Jason were both a bit buzzed which left Dick to drive them home. Dick scolded them about getting too drunk on Father's day, but even with just a light buzz, Roy managed to get himself into trouble.

“Guys, we're home! Sorry we're so late,” Dick called, hanging his jacket up in the front closet. Jason and Roy shuffled into the living room, giggling a bit about some joke the heard back at the bar. Dick put a hand on Jason's chest and stopped the two of them and silently gestured toward the kitchen. Roy and Jason straightened up and were surprised to see the entire apartment had been cleaned up. They made their way into the kitchen and Dick cooed quietly at the sight; both Kaden and Lian were passed out at the kitchen table with a caked sitting in the middle of the table that read “Happy Father's Day, love Kaden + Lian”.

Roy smiled sweetly at the sight and Jason rolled his eyes, kissing Dick's cheek. There was some stir fry left in the pan, probably cold by now, which Jason helped himself to while Roy and Dick woke up the kids.

“Hey, guys wake up,,” Dick said softly, shaking Kaden and Lian awake. The two teens sat up and yawned, looking around the room.

“Dad? Papa?” Kaden asked tiredly, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Lian shot a tired glare at her father.

“Where were-” she began, broken by a yawn “-you guys? We waited for hours.” Jason snorted with laughter as he grabbed his plate out of the microwave.

“Your dad got into a bar brawl. We had to bail his dumb ass outta jail,” Jason said with a smirk. Roy laughed and flipped him off.

“Bite me.”

“Maybe later,” Jason replied with a wink.

“Ew,” Kaden and Lian muttered in unison. Lian glared at her father then and shook her head.

“A bar brawl daddy? Really?” she asked, unimpressed. Roy raised his hands defensively.

“Hey, I didn't start it! I just finished it!” he said matter-of-factly, nodding his head. Kaden snorted in amusement while Lian just rolled her eyes, playfully swatting Kaden.

“Don't encourage him!” she said with a laugh. She sighed and got to her feet, moving toward the stove. “Dinner's cold. Damn. I worked so hard on that.” Jason nudged her with his elbow and flashed a smile.

“Still good. Not bad, baby girl,” Jason complimented, kissing the top of hear head. Lian sighed and hugged the man anyway. Jason reached around her and shuffled through a gift bag with his name on it.

“Well, the day didn't go quite as planned, but-” he began, grabbing something from inside the bag “aha! So how about we salvage it with a little bit of hack and slash?” he asked with a grin, holding up a zombie game. 

“Aw, how did you know?” Kaden asked, a little upset his father didn't seem even the least bit surprised. Jason gave a shrug.

“You talk in your sleep,” Jason replied with a wink and a grin. Kaden huffed in annoyance, but hit didn't last long when Dick hugged him and kissed the top of his head.

“Thanks anyway though. Both of you.”

“Happy Father's day guys,” Kaden said to his parents, even Roy, a warm smile adorning his face.


	46. Long Hot Summer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“I can’t sleep, ain’t no sleep a’coming, I’m just lying here thinking ‘bout you,”_ Dick began singing, glancing back and forth between Roy and Jason, his face split into a wide grin. Roy joined in next and Jason just rolled his eyes at the both of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is literally nothing more than a little bit of silliness and fun. I've actually had this thing sitting in my head for months. Every time I thought it had gone away, it just kept coming back, so finally, I decided to fold and write it. And as you can guess, the title is named for the song. :P  
> I have no idea how this...idea...started. It just spontaneously congealed into my mind and got stuck there. And now it's here. My brain would appreciate it if you enjoyed this. And who knows, I might even write the actual vacation at some point too, if anyone would be interested in seeing that. ^_^
> 
> Dick - 40  
> Roy - 39  
> Jason - 38  
> Lian - 17  
> Kaden - 15

Dick, Jason and Roy had just finished packing some things into a sleek, red convertible they’d borrowed from Bruce. They were going on a road trip with the final destination, being Bahai Honda State Park, in Florida. Dick proposed he and Jason go on a Second Honeymoon, of sorts, to celebrate their anniversary. Theirs and Roy’s; the day they added him to their relationship. So they took a Zeta Tube to Star City and pitched the idea to Roy, who eagerly suggested they turn it into a Road Trip.

They brought Lian back with them to Gotham too; she’d wanted to hang out with Kaden while they were gone, claiming that the two of them didn’t really get to see each other much these days. That was indeed true, and so the three men decided it wasn’t such a bad idea. But before that, they made a little side trip to the manor. ‘We need a convertible! You don’t go on a summer road trip, to one of the best beaches in the states, without a convertible!’ Roy had cheerily explained.

"See you soon dad! Bye Papa! Love you guys!” Kaden said as he hugged both of his parents in turn. “And you too, Uncle Roy,” the teen added with a grin, as Roy collected the teen into a one-armed hug.

“You and Lian take care, alright baby girl?” Roy said, glancing over at Lian while he patted Kaden’s shoulder. Lian smiled and hugged her father.

“We will,” she replied.

”Are you sure you two will be okay here at the apartment alone? We can always drop you off at the manor,” Jason said.

“We’ll be fine dad. You, Papa and Uncle Roy just enjoy your vacation, alright?” Kaden replied with a bright smile. Dick stepped forward and hugged both of the teens again.

“Thanks Little Wing. I’ll miss you both,” Dick answered.

“Dickie, c’mon! You’re driving first!” Jason called from the passengers seat, leaning over and pressing the horn. Dick looked over his shoulder and chuckled, turning back to the two teens.

“Right, I guess that’s our cue. You two take care, alright?” Dick said one final time before rounding the car and hopping into the driver’s seat.

“Yeah, try not to kill each other while we’re gone, okay?” Roy added, earning a playful slap on the arm from his daughter before he joined the other two, in the backseat. With their things packed and all of them in the car and ready to go, they gave a final wave before they pulled away from the apartment building and took off, down the streets of Gotham on their road trip.

*_*_*_*_*

They’d just left New Jersey, cruising with the top down on a beach side highway with the wind racing through their hair. They were telling jokes, trading stories, even playful barbs back and forth at one another. Each of them had a few ‘detours’ they wanted to take; what kind of road trip would it be without detours, after all?

“So tell me something, Dickie,” Roy said, leaning forward in his seat to look at Dick. Dick glanced over at Roy, briefly, before turning his attention back to the road. “Is this where you saw yourself back when you were a dumb kid? Sitting in a car with a couple of jagoffs?” Jason chuckled in amusement.

“Married to one of ‘em and dating the other to boot,” Jason added. Dick laughed, glancing over at Jason and Roy before turning his attention back to the road again.

“Not even slightly. But there’s nowhere else I’d rather be,” Dick said with a bright smile, stealing a quick kiss from each of them.

“Yeah, this is pretty great, isn’t it?” Jason said, his crime alley accent breaking through a little bit as he relaxed back into his seat, hands behind his head and feet up on the dashboard. He heaved a contented sigh, putting on a pair of sunglasses and closed his eyes.

“I second that. The only thing that could make this better is hot sweaty sex in the backseat,” Roy said with a cheeky grin, drawing a laugh out of both Dick and Jason.

“You sound like a horny teenager, Roy,” Jason teased.

“Funny, you didn’t have a problem with that in the shower the other night,” Roy teased back. Dick pushed his shades down a bit and glanced over at the two of them.

“You two had shower sex, and you didn’t invite me? I dunno how I feel about that,” Dick added in a mock hurt tone. Jason snickered in amusement, noting the smirk spreading across Dick’s face.

“It was Roy’s fault. I got back from patrol and was in desperate need of a shower, and he kinda ambushed me in the shower,” Jason explain, glancing back at Roy with a sly smirk. Roy snorted, grinning from ear to ear and playfully punched Jason’s arm.

“Oh, I ambushed you? You didn’t seem to mind, judging from the noises you were making,” Roy answered.

“Bite me Harper,” Jason shot back. Roy opened his mouth to speak again, but Dick clamped his hand over his mouth and laughed.

“Okay, that’s enough you two. Behave!” Dick said to the both of them. He turned on the radio, glancing over at his two lovers as they relaxed in their seats, and smiled. This was nice, and he began to hope they could do it again soon. But with their vigilante lives, his police work in Bludhaven, and Jason keeping the gangs in line, that was easier said than done.

Dick glanced at the radio though, when a familiar beat started to play. Dick glanced at Roy and the two of them exchanged a grin. Jason looked back and forth between the two of them and frowned.

“No. Absolutely not,” Jason said before they could say a word.

“C’mon, sing with us Jaybird,” Roy urged with a warm smile, playfully poking Jason in the side. Dick started without them though, singing along to ‘Long Hot Summer’ by Keith Urban.

 _“I can’t sleep, ain’t no sleep a’coming, I’m just lying here thinking ‘bout you,”_ Dick began singing, glancing back and forth between Roy and Jason, his face split into a wide grin. Roy joined in next and Jason just rolled his eyes at the both of them.

 _“I'm in deep, falling deep into the picture, in my mind of everything we're gonna do,”_ Roy joined in with a little laugh from both he and Dick.

“Okay, that’s enough you two,” Jason said with another roll of his eyes. Dick playfully elbowed the man once more, trying to get him to join in, but to no avail.

 _“Over at the lake and down by the river, you can feel it start to rise. Wanna jump in my car, go wherever you are, 'cause I need you by my side,”_ both Roy and Dick sung in unison. They turned to Jason then who shook his head.

“No. No!” He refused. But then he looked over at them, giving him their best puppy-eyed looks. He groaned as the chorus started.

 _“It's gonna be a long, hot summer, we should be together with your feet up on the dashboard now. Singing along with the radio, it's such a beautiful sound. But when you say my name in the middle of the day, I swear I see the stars come out. When you hold my hand in the back of my mind, Just waiting on the sun to go down, the sun to go down!”_ the three of them sung together, Jason having finally joined in with his two idiot lovers. And the three of them kept singing along with the song, ignoring the looks of people driving by, and Jason giving a particularly rude driver the finger.

The three of them laughed as the song came to an end, exchangling glances. Roy patted Jason’s shoulder and flashing him a toothy grin.

“Eh, that wasn’t so bad, was it?”

“Ugh, you two idiots are always dragging me into your bullshit,” Jason replied playfully. Dick laughed at him and poked him with his elbow.

“Admit it, you love us and you love getting into trouble with us!” Dick said cheerily. Jason smiled, leaning over for a quick kiss.

“You’re damn right I do.”


	47. Vacation [nsfw]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a trip of about four days, between detours and driving, Dick, Jason, and Roy finally arrived at their hotel down on Bahia Honda Key in Florida.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A continuation of "Long Hot Summer". Enjoy. ^^

After a trip of about four days, between detours and driving, Dick, Jason, and Roy finally arrived at their hotel down on Bahia Honda Key in Florida. They’d made a few detours on the way down from New Jersey, such as a stop at a circus that happened to be in a town in Maryland; Dick’s idea and between the three of them, he’d had the most fun, naturally. After that, they went to Gettysburg National Military Park, where Jason let out his inner nerd. Dick and Roy both thought it was cute, and of course, Jason left from the Museum Bookstore with three or four new books to boot.

Their final (major) detour was in Norfolk Virginia. Roy had begged them to go to the Robotics Convention they had going on there. Well, they went to check it out and, needless to say, Roy was like a kid in a candy store. He stopped to talk ‘shop’ with several of the other inventors there and bought a whole bunch of parts for ‘new toys’ and robots for when he got home.

The three of them dragged their bags up to the second floor of the hotel, to the suite that they’d reserved in advance for their vacation together. Dick opened the door with the keycard and pushed it open and the three of them made their way inside.

“Wow, nice place,” Roy exclaimed, grinning like a kid as the he looked around the room. Jason dumped his bag on one of the beds and took to exploring the room a little. The suite had two beds with a large expanded living room, a full bathroom and a small kitchen. Jason gave a whistle as he moved into the living room, the kitchen, and then back to the main room.

“No kidding,” Jason chimed in, giving a sly smirk. “I think I did pretty good! Money well spent, eh Dickie-bird?” Jason asked, glancing over his shoulder toward Dick. Dick gave a contented sigh and let himself fall back onto the bed.

“Mmm, I’ll say,” Dick said with another contented sigh. He sat up then, and looked over at Jason, who’d made himself comfortable on the couch, flashing the man a smile. “But let me handle it from here. You’ve spent enough money on us,” Dick insisted. Jason chuckled a bit and shook his head at his husband’s reply.

“Dick, we’re married, remember?” Jason pointed out. Dick gave a shrug of his shoulders.

“So? We still have our own money and you spent yours --”

“Dick, it’s fine,” Jason argued.

“Guys, guys, you’re both pretty, and generous,” Roy cut in with a teasing laugh, glancing back and forth between the two of them. “There’s no need to argue about money! Besides, I’ve got a nice little income since I started selling my tech,” Roy said with a cheeky grin. Dick and Jason exchanged glances.

“Really? Since when?” Dick asked. Roy gave a shrug of his shoulders.

“The last couple of months. I partnered back up with Ollie and he’s let me keep control over my shit this time. We had a good thing going before I…well…screwed it up,” Roy said with a shrug of his shoulders. “But we’ve mended out relationship, and he brought me on as a full partner, so -- “

“Roy, that’s great!” Dick said cheerily, hopping off of the bed and hugging the red head. Roy laughed and hugged him back. “You should’ve told us! That’s great news!”

“Thanks,” Roy replied.

“Alright, enough with the mushy shit. We came here to relax and have fun,” Jason said with a grin, padding into the bathroom. Minutes later, he came out in black swimming trunks. “So let’s get to it! I’m gonna hit the beach!” Jason exclaimed, grabbing up a towel and some sunscreen.

“Oooh, sounds fun! Count me in!” Roy called.

“Wait for me!” Dick chimed in.

*_*_*_*_*

Jason sucked in a deep breath as he lay on top of his towel, on his back, with his hands behind his head, soaking up the sun’s rays. He could hear the sounds of Dick and Roy’s laughter, even through the voices of the other people here enjoying the white sandy beach. He propped himself up on his elbows to see what his lovers were getting up to, only to find them playing Frisbee. But it wasn’t enough for the two of them to toss it back and forth, no. They had to show off, too. A small crowd of spectators had gathered around them to watch their little game.

Roy grinned at Dick as he caught the Frisbee with his back turned. He jumped into the air, spinning around in mid-air before tossing the Frisbee. Dick, ever the show off, did a backflip and caught the Frisbee out of the air, throwing it back as he did a corkscrew back down onto the ground with a perfect landing. The spectators ‘ooh’d’ and ‘aah’d’ at the display, with cheering and clapping ensuing afterward.

Jason, however, had a more ‘fun’ idea. He got to his feet, brushing himself off, and waved to the two of them, calling out their names.

“Dick, Roy! Over here!” Jason called. Roy grinned when he caught the Frisbee, then threw it in Jason’s direction. Jason grinned and went to catch it, and that’s when the fun began; it ‘hit him’ in the face and he doubled over, covering his face with his hands.

“Oh shit! Jaybird, are you alright?!” Roy asked, rushing to Jason’s side with Dick right behind him. Roy grabbed Jason’s shoulder while Dick hovered over him, a worried expression on his face. “Here, lemme see,” Roy asked carefully, moving to pull Jason’s hands away from his face.

“Sucker!” Jason called with a laugh, putting Roy in a headlock.

“Ack! Jason, you ass!” Roy called with a laugh.

“Dick, get his legs!” Jason called over his shoulder. Dick laughed and obeyed and the two of them carried the squirming red head to the water. “On three! One, two, three!” Jason called and the two of them let go; but Roy wasn’t going down alone. He managed to grab Jason and pull him in, who in turn, grabbed Dick and pulled him in, and the three of them fell into the water in a tangle of limbs accompanied by the sounds of laughter.

*_*_*_*_*

The second day of their vacation, the three of them decided to mix things up a bit. At Roy’s urging, they woke up bright and early, just before the sun came up, and went fishing. They spent a good four hours drinking (lightly) and fishing, trading jokes, barbs and friendly banter. Between the three of them, they managed to catch a dozen fish. Dick caught three, having caught two Permit and a Bonefish. Roy caught the most with six, having caught two Barracuda, one Permit, and three Florida Pompano. Jason caught the biggest fish, however; he’d caught three Barracuda, with thew largest weighing in at twenty pounds.

From there, they went hiking on a nature trail; of course it wasn’t a real hike until you made out somewhere off trail. Or so Roy said, so he and Dick let Jason take the lead while they had a little ‘extra fun’ off trail. 

“Hey, Dick,” Roy called, catching up to the other man. Dick turned and flashed a quizzical look. Roy smirked at him and nodded off trail, dragging Dick along with him. “Hey Jaybird, we’ll catch up! You go on ahead!” Roy called. Jason glanced back, watching as Roy and Dick left the trail and shook his head, grinning to himself.

“Roy, what’s--” Dick began, a thrill of excitement building up inside him; part of him knew what was coming, but he still had to ask. Roy smirked at him, pinning him up against a tree and kissing him.

“It ain’t a real hike until you make out a little, Dickie-bird,” Roy purred, kissing Dick’s neck. Dick bit his lip, moaning a little bit when he felt Roy’s hands slide against his bare skin, up underneath his shirt.

“Make out a little? This feels more than ‘making out a little’. And who said that?” Dick asked, giving a little yelp as Roy lifted him up off the ground. Dick wrapped his legs around the man’s waist and Roy peeled off his shirt, tossing it to the ground. Dick’s followed moments later.

“I said it. C’mon, you can’t tell me you’re not at least a little bit excited?” Roy asked with a cheeky grin, fumbling with the zip on Dick’s pants. He kissed the man’s neck again and continued, whispering against his skin “out in the open? Chance of getting caught. I know you’ve got a dirty side, Grayson.”

“You know me--ungh--so well,” Dick replied, moaning as the feeling of two wet fingers at his entrance. Roy grinned and pushed them inside, preparing him quickly. It was fast and needy, and Dick was gasping, writhing underneath Roy. “Hurry up, need you,” Dick breathed and Roy obliged. He unzipped his pants, pushing them down to barely hang on his hips and lubed himself up before pushing himself inside. Dick clutched at Roy’s shoulders, locking his fingers behind the other man’s neck as he thrust up into him roughly, setting a fast and rough pace. The bark of the tree rubbed against Dick’s back and he knew he’d have red marks on his back later, but it was totally worth it.

“R-Roy,” Dick breathed, clinging to Roy and whimpering in his ear. Roy loved it when he made noise, because it encouraged him, and indeed it did. Roy redoubled his efforts, thrusting harder and faster, pinning Dick against the tree and planting his hands on either side of his body.

Roy crushed his lips to Dick’s, the sex fast and rough, neither one of them able to hold out long before the came, swallowing each other’s moans. Roy kept thrusting, his hips moving erratically, even after he’d cum. The two of them were sweating and panting, basking in the afterglow, as well as maybe baking a little in the heat. Roy pulled out of Dick and the two of them sank to the ground in each other’s arms.

“We should…get back,” Dick breathed finally, digging through his pants pocket for some wipes to clean himself up. Roy chuckled in amusement, catching the packet of wipes and doing likewise before the two of them redressed and headed back toward the trail, discarding the dirty wipes in a wastebasket there on the trail “For the record, that was pretty fun, Roytoy,” Dick whispered, pressing a kiss to Roy’s lips. Roy grinned at him and reached for Dick’s hand, enlacing their fingers.

“Glad you enjoyed it,” he purred, giving the man a wink. They continued up the trail and finally caught up with Jason who’d been waiting for them. The man looked them over, nothing their disheveled appearances and gave a laugh.

“Well, I’d ask ‘what took you so long’ but I think I can guess,” Jason said with a smug grin, walking between the two of them, patting Roy’s shoulder and kissing Dick’s cheek. The two men exchanged a glance and a grin before following Jason back down the trail.

“Not mad, are you?” Roy asked, catching up with Jason. Jason glanced back and forth between Dick and Roy and laughed.

“Mad? Nah. Well, I’m a little upset you didn’t invite me,” Jason replied, giving a wicked grin. Roy and Dick laughed in amusement, both of them kissing the side of his face.

“No worries pal! We’re still here for another five days. I’m sure we can make it up to you between now and then,” Roy purred in Jason’s ear. Jason bit his lip and shivered a little as Dick’s breath played over his other ear, with the man nipping at his earlobe.

“Dick, it’s hot, and I’m imagining you two going at it in the woods. Now is not a good time to be doing…well, that,” Jason said to the man. Dick chuckled in amusement and sped up a little, winking at Jason over his shoulder.  
“If you don’t mind, Dickie,” Jason began, wrapping an arm around Roy’s waist and pulling him to his side “I think Roy and I are gonna have a little quality time back at the hotel.” He wiggled his eyebrows and dick laughed, waving them off.

“You do that. I need a shower. But make sure not to exhaust him too much, Roy. He owes me, if you know what I mean,” Dick said, earning a chuckle from Roy. Roy kissed Jason’s jaw, then reached out and laced his fingers with Dick’s for a moment.

“No worries. I’ll make sure he’s good to go.”

“Wow, so I’m just your guys’ toy now?” Jason joked.

*_*_*_*_*

When they got back to the hotel, the first thing Dick did was go to the shower. Of course, he stripped right in the middle of the room, in front of Jason and Roy, just to be a tease, before making his way into the bathroom. Jason turned to Roy then, who was stretching a bit, and shoved him onto the bed. Roy yelped in surprise as he landed on his back and looked up to see Jason with a rather predatory look in his eyes, undoing his belt. Roy smirked and propped himself up on his elbows to watch.

“Wow, the rough treatment, huh? And it isn’t even my birthday,” he said excitedly, and Jason grinned throwing off his shirt and dropping his pants and boxers. He climbed on top of Roy, naked, and pinned his arms up above his head. He kissed the red head deeply, one hand pinning his wrists above his head and the other rubbing his dick through his pants. Roy moaned lowly, thrusting up into Jason’s hand, whimpering at the contact when Jason _squeezed_ just right.

“Need clothes off. Now. Please,” Roy breathed out between moans. Jason sat up and Roy peeled himself out of his clothes in record time. Jason pinned him back to the bed before his pants even hit the floor and ravished his neck with hickeys, biting, sucking and kissing his neck and shoulders. Jason, still pinning Roy’s hands above his head, reached over to the nightstand and grabbed some lube. He slicked his fingers up and shoved two up inside Roy without warning. 

Roy let out a gasp, followed by a deep, needy moan, his hips pushing back on Jason’s fingers. He added a third, working him open before he retracted the fingers. Roy gave a whimper in response, but soon felt the head of Jason’s cock at his entrance.

“You ready?” Jason asked a little breathlessly. Roy took a deep breath and only nodded. Jason pushed the head of his cock inside Roy, then slowly, agonizingly slowly, pushed the rest of his member inside him. Roy whimpered and writhed underneath Jason, trying to push back onto his shaft, but a hand on his hip kept him from moving.

“Jaybird, you’re gonna kill me,” Roy breathed out. Jason let out a breathy laugh, pulling out slowly, then snapping his hips forward. Roy gave a cry of pleasure, loud and noisy. With his hands pinned above his head, he couldn’t cover his mouth if he wanted too. Jason repeated the movement again and again, until Roy was a whimpering mess beneath him.

“Jay, please. Please, Jay. Please, please, please,” Roy whimpered, and Jason grinned at him.

“Please what, Roy?”

“Fuck me! Please fuck me!” Roy managed and Jason obliged, setting a rough pace, pulling out and then slamming back inside. Jason kissed and licked at the marks he’d left on Roy’s neck as he thrust inside him. He could feel Roy’s fingers squeezing around his hand, feel his arms shake with the need to move, to grab onto something and ground him.

“What do you think Dick is doing, Roytoy?” Jason whispered in Roy’s ear, slowling down his movements a little. “D’you think he can hear us?” Jason asked, snapping his hips forward and earning a needy whimper. “Bet he’s touching himself. Imagining me fucking you. Grabbing his dick and pumping himself while picturing me ramming your ass,” Jason whispered in the man’s ear with a wicked grin. “And you’re imagining him doing it, aren’t you?”

“Y-ya--” Roy breathed out. Jason snapped his hips forward again, Roy’s moans reduced to sobs of pleasure.

“I can’t hear you, Roy. Come again?”

“Yes!” He repeated, and Jason chuckled in his ear, suddenly increasing the speed and force of his thrusts.

“You’re mine. Mine and Dick’s. Now tell me, who do you belong to?!” Jason growled as he slammed into Roy. Roy cried out in pleasure, amrs shaking with a desperate need.

“Yours! Yours and Dick’s!” Roy cried out. Jason slammed into him again and finally released Roy’s hands. Roy’s arms wrapped around Jason, and Jason leaned down to bite his neck.

“Louder! Who do you belong to?!” Jason growled.

“You and Dick! I’m yours! I’m Dick’s!” Roy cried out and in one last, hard thrust, Jason came deep inside Roy, the red head following moments later, the room filled with boot of the cries of pleasure. Jason kept thrusting erratically inside him until he’d spilled every last drop, then collapsed on top of him. The two of them held each other, just breathing, basking, then Jason pressed his lips to Roy’s in a sweet, tender kiss.

“Love you Jaybird,” Roy said softly. Jason smiled and combed his fingers through Roy’s red hair.

“Love you too, Roytoy,” Jason said softly, kissing the red head again. Roy whimpered a bit when Jason finally pulled out of him and rolled over onto his back, their chests heaving and their breathing still labored. Jason lazily reached other to the nightstand again and cleaned the both of them up, then laid back beside Roy. Dick came out of the bathroom moments later, drying his hair.

“Wow. I missed a helluva show. I heard you guys in there--” Dick began.

“And pulled it to the imagine of me plowing Roy?” Jason filled in, earning a laugh from Dick. 

“Well, yeah,” he replied. He moved over to the dressed and pulled out a pair of boxers, but Jason made a sound of protest.

“Uh uh. C’mere you,” Jason called, waving him over. Dick smiled and let the towel around his waist fall to the floor, then climbed into bed with Jason and Roy. Jason lay in the middle with an arm around each of his lovers, kissing the tops of their heads and heaving a contented sigh.

“Damn, how’s I get to be so lucky?” Jason asked. Roy and Dick both chuckled in amusement, and Dick leaned up to press a gentle kiss to Jason’s lips as he pulled the blanket up over the three of them.

*_*_*_*_*

The day came when their vacation was at an end, and they had to make the drive home. They’d had a hell of a week, bonding, having fun, playing around, but most importantly, enjoying each other’s company. The three of them grew closer together and their relationship only grew stronger as a result. It seemed much less likely now, more than ever, that Roy would want to find someone else; in fact he made a point of telling Jason and Dick that he was happy with them, happier than he’d ever been.

After a three day drive back to New Jersey, they finally returned to Gotham City. They pulled up to the apartment building and were happy to see both Lian and Kaden, with Star in tow, come bursting out the front door of the building to greet them.

“Daddy! Uncle Jay, Uncle D!” Lian said cheerily, hugging each of them in turn. Kaden opted to play it cool, jamming his hands into his jeans pockets and giving a smile.

“Dad, Papa, Uncle Roy, hey. How was the trip?” Kaden asked. Dick rolled his eyes and approached Kaden, pulling him in for a hug and kissing the top of his head.

“Kaden, you can stop it with the tough guy attitude. We know you missed us,” Dick teased. Kaden giggled a bit and returned his Papa’s hug, then hugged his dad and Roy.

“Yeah, fine, so I missed you guys,” Kaden answered. Star whimpered and cried a bit as she jumped up on each of them until the patted her, her tail wagging furiously.

“Hey Star! Whose a good girl!” Dick cooed, kneeling down and scratching her ears.

“Well, it’s good to be home. Why don’t you guys give us a hand?” JKason said, opening the trunk and handing off a couple of bags to Kaden and Lian, giving Kaden a one-armed hug and kissing the top of Lian’s head. As the kids headed up the stairs with the bags, Dick stopped Jason with a hand on his shoulder.

“We should probably clean that backseat before we give the car back to Bruce,” he suggested, and Jason grinned like the devil.


	48. Christmas Traditions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This year's Christmas prompt. Enjoy :D

Kaden's favorite time of year had come around once again; Christmas. It wasn't the presents or the decorations he enjoyed so much, as being with his family. And there were a number of holiday traditions that Kaden had been a part of, every year, for as long as he could remember that he really enjoyed, too.

“Hey Kades, catch,” Jason called, tossing a small white box Kaden's way. Kaden turned ant caught the box in the air and opened it up; Christmas decorations. Jason gave him a smile as he finished setting up the tree. All that was left was to decorate.

“Jason, those ornaments are old and fragile! Be more careful!” Dick scolded with a light frown, cuffing the man lightly in the back of the head. Jason stuck out his tongue at the man, earning an eye roll as Dick made his way into the kitchen. “Making hot chocolate. You guys want some?” Dick called from the kitchen.

“Yes please!” Kaden and Jason called back. Kaden looked back over at his father and grinned as he tossed him some ornaments and the two of them got to decorating the tree. Jason got to hanging a few before he grabbed out the Christmas lights and started winding them around the tree while Kaden focused on the ornaments. Some of them were ones that he made as a child, whether at school, with his parents, or at the manor with Alfred. One in particular was a round, white ceramic ornament with a red and white swirl ribbon and in the middle was a picture of himself when he was six, his dad and papa smiling happily in front of a Christmas tree.

“I remember that,” Dick said softly, reaching around Kaden and gingerly touching the ornament. Kaden glanced back at is papa who smiled at him and place a kiss to his temple. He handed a cup of hot chocolate to Kaden who sniffed it and made an 'mmm' sound.

“Thanks papa,” Kaden said to him as the man made his way over to Jason to help with the lights. Jason glanced over at Dick and flashed a grin, using some garland as a lasso and tugging Dick flush against his body. Dick grinned back at him as Jason stole a kiss, pressing his forehead against Dick's. He raised his hand up over Dick's head and chuckled lightly.

“My, my, what have we here?” he asked, nodding upward. Dick glanced up to see Jason holding a mistletoe up over his head. Dick chuckled lightly and leaned in for a kiss. “Why don't we be a little naughty this year? I'm sure Santa won't notice,” Jason purred. Dick opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a gagging noise from Kaden.

“No, but I will. Do you guys know how loud you are? Ugh,” Kaden joked, shuddering slightly. Jason only grinned wider, but Dick silenced him with a kiss.

“Maybe later,” he purred, patting the man's cheek. Kaden watched his parents with a small smile, shaking his head in amusement and sipping his hot chocolate as he put up another ornament on the tree.

“Hey Kades,” Jason called. Kaden looked up from the tree as his father tossed him the tree topper. Kaden caught it and unwrapped it from the newspaper is had been wrapped in to keep it safe. It was a lighted snowflake Christmas tree topper. It was made of crystal and thus a bit heavy, but made with very intricate detail. 

“You're letting _me_ put it up this year?” Kaden asked with surprise. Jason gave a shrug and a nod.  
“Sure, why not. You're fifteen. I'm sure you can handle it,” he replied with a smirk. Kaden grinned like a child in a candy store as he stepped up the the tree. He stood on his tip toes, first turning the topper on. It glowed all the colors of the rainbow, slowly changing from one to another and then all of them at once. He grunted as he stretched a bit to reach the top of the tree with Jason watching carefully. It took a good minute and a half, but finally Kaden managed to get it on top of the tree, then stepped back to admire their handiwork.

“Not bad kiddo,” Jason said with a smile, patting the teen on the back. Kaden grinned pridefully, crossing his arms over his chest as he admirer the tree for a few moments.

“Kaden, I'm making the cookies! Are you gonna help?” Dick called from the kitchen. Kaden looked to his dad quickly, smirk on his face as he jogged into the kitchen.

“Coming papa!” Kaden called, joining Dick in the kitchen. He'd already made up the cookie dough, handing Kaden a box of Christmas cookie cutters. Kaden chuckled excitedly as he dumped them out on the counter. There was a Christmas Tree, and a Santa Clause, a stocking, a reindeer, a snowman, and a candy cane. Dick glanced down at Kaden and flashed a smile, grabbing a couple of the cookie cutters and ruffling the teen's hair. He took a moment to marvel at how big his son had gotten; the teen stood almost as tall as himself now. It had felt like yesterday that the little boy stood only waist high. The one thing that hadn't changed, however, was his enthusiasm. Every year, he got so excited to decorate the tree and make Christmas cookies.

“Papa? What is it?” Kaden asked, snapping Dick out of his thoughts. Dick flashed a smile and ruffled the teen's hair again.

“Nothing. Just thinking about how much you've grown,” Dick replied. Kaden grinned widely and got back to shaping cookies. They finished shaping the cookies while trading puns and idle chatter. Once that was done, Dick put them in the oven. Wrapping an arm around his shoulders, Dick led Kaden into the living room where Jason was putting out a few of the presents under the Christmas tree. They spent Christmas day at the manor, but between just the three of them, they had this tradition of each opening a present from each other on Christmas Eve. 

“Dad, did you set it to auto tune?” Kaden asked. Jason set the last gift down then clapped his hands together. E gave a small laugh at Kaden's inquiry and nodded.

“Yes Kades, don't worry, you won't miss it,” Jason replied, flopping down on the couch and heaving a sigh. Kaden smiled from ear to ear and moved to sit beside his dad. Kaden, while neither of them were paying attention to him, took out his phone and snapped a picture. After which he moved back into the kitchen to keep his eye on the cookies. 

“Papa, the movie is starting!” Kaden called from the living room, fifteen minutes later.

“Alright, I'm coming!” Dick called back, transferring the cookies over to a plate. He grabbed a tray out of the cabinet and three glasses, filling them each with milk and placing them on the tray. 

“Papa, the movie is on!” Kaden called again. Dick laughed as he carried the tray into the living room.

“Don't worry, I'm coming!” he replied, setting the tray down on the coffee table. He flopped down onto the couch beside Kaden, wrapping his arm around the teen's shoulders as “Mickey's Christmas Carol” came on the TV.

“I don't get it,” Jason said between bites as he munched away on a Christmas Tree cookie. Dick and Kaden glanced over at the man as he continued “what's with this movie anyway? Aren't you guys a little old?” he teased. Kaden made a mock offended face and shook his head.

“You're never too old for a Disney movie!” he replied, making himself a bit more comfortable on the couch, snuggling a bit against his papa's side. “Besides, it's a tradition! Like watching “Hocus Pocus” around Halloween,” he stated, matter-of-factly. Jason chuckled in amusement and ruffled Kaden's hair, then leaned over the teen to steal a kiss from Dick.

Yeah, he rather enjoyed these Christmas traditions, too.


	49. Scarred for Life [nsfw]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaden comes home from school, listening to his music, but hears something odd from his parents' room, even over his loud music.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt by Lawlipop99 
> 
> Kaden - 16  
> Star - 9  
> Dick - 41  
> Jason - 39

With his ear buds in his ears listening to music, Kaden ran a hand through his hair, brushing over three small silver rings, as he dug through the pockets of his black cotton jacket with his other. Not finding the keys, he then dug through his jeans pockets. They were old, about two years, but they were his favorite pair, despite the tears at the knees.

“Aha,” he muttered to himself, fishing them out of his left pocket. He unlocked the door to the apartment and pushed it open, closing it behind him with a kick. Star came over to him, tail wagging, looking for a pet. He smiled down at the now nine-year-old dog and knelt down in front of her. Star whimpered a little bit as she licked his face, eliciting a little laugh.

“Hey girl, how you doing?” he asked, kicking off his boots. He stood back up and peeled of his jacket, careful not to yank his earbuds out, hanging it up in the closet and tossing his side bag beside the couch. Still jamming to the music, he moved into the kitchen, glancing back over his shoulder, keenly aware of Star following him. 

He opened the fridge and gathered up a few things for his usual after school snack; peanut butter, jelly, and milk. He glanced back at Star who sat down really pretty, gave one of her little head tilts which were Kaden’s kryptonite and gave a little whine.

“Ugh, you’re such a cheat, abusing your cuteness like that,” Kaden muttered with a little laugh. He’d never let on that he was a softie at heart, like his papa, because he had a reputation to maintain, as a bad ass, like his dad. So he dug through a bag of ham for a single slice and tossed it to Star before tucking it away in the fridge. Star wagged her tail happily and snatched the ham out of the air and retreated to her doggy bed.

Kaden went about making his sandwich, still moving his head to the music. One of the buds fell out of his ear and he thought he’d heard something. He glanced toward the source, but didn’t hear it again, so he shrugged and popped the earbud back in. He grabbed a small plate out of the cabinet and took his sandwich and went to his bedroom to do his homework.

But halfway there, he heard something, loud enough to be heard over his music. Curious he headed toward his parents’ room where the sounded appeared to be coming from and he heard it again; a banging noise. The door was partway open already so he simply pushed the door the rest of the way open and-

Jason writhed underneath Dick on the bed, moaning lowly as the man thrust into him at a slow, gentle pace. Jason growled, needing more, but Dick held him in place by his hips.

“Ungh, god dammit Dick, move harder! Faster, please, god!” Jason whined as Dick grinned down at him, grinding himself against Jason’s ass. He kept moving at the slow, torturous pace, Jason’s face lit up bright red as he let out an almost sobbing moan. Jason’s arms suddenly wrapped around Dick, moving into a sitting position, trying to gain some leverage, but Dick wouldn’t have it. He held the man tight, keeping him from moving.

“God, Dick...faster, please,” Jason whimpered. Dick huffed lightly against his ear, breath playing over the skin on his neck. Then suddenly, he started a rough, fast pace, slamming into Jason and holding onto him. Jason moaned and cried out in pleasure as he came hard, Dick following moments later after a few more rough thrusts. Jason crashed their lips together, swallowing his husband’s moans s the two of them fell back onto the bed, exhausted, basking in the afterglow.

Kaden’s eye twitched and he dropped his plate, the glass shattering across the floor. Startled, Dick and Jason’s heads snapped up in his direction. Both their faces turned crimson, their eyes wide as they realized what was going on; their son had just walked in on them having sex. His dad’s face turned scarlet and his papa just laughed nervously, raking a clean hand through his hair.

Kaden shook his head, trying to clear it, to shake the images from his mind, mouth opening a closing, looking like a fish out of water as he struggled to form a coherent thought.

“I uh...guess I should start calling dad “Mom” now, huh?” he asked in a joking tone, he face still bright red. Jason’s face grew an even brighter shade of red as he buried his face in the pillow and groaned, and Dick busted out laughing.

“Uh, now um...I’m going to uh...go bleach my eyes,” Kaden murmured, weakly pointing back down the hallway as he stumbled, hand planted over his eyes and crashing into the door frame.

“Ow,” he muttered.

“God dammit Dick, this is your fault,” Jason murmured, embarrassed as he tried to hide his head underneath the pillow. He was usually shameless, but there was something about your kid walking in on you, watching you get fucked, and then joking about it, that kind of...well...even the shameless would feel at least a twinge of embarrassment. Dick chuckled in amusement and cleaned himself and his husband off.

“You’re adorable when you’re embarrassed babe,” Dick murmured, pressing a kiss to his neck.

“Fuck you.”

“Maybe next time.”

“Please don’t, not again! I could hear you over my music!” Kaden shouted from the living room. Jason and Dick exchanged glances and then snickered in amusement.


	50. Arkham Knight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After his ordeal at the Joker's hands the second time, Jason finds himself suffering from some rather severe PTSD. He decides it's time he actually got some help and put the ghosts of his past to rest, once and for all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This takes place during the final chapter of "Return To Arkham". I figured it was a pretty important event for Jason and worth writing about; how Jason went from The Red Hood to The Arkham Knight, and how he learned to cope with the trauma.

Jason bolted upright as muscle memory took hold, grabbing his gun off the nightstand, panic rising to peak levels. Sweat slicked his skin and his breath came out ragged, but to his horror, when he was finally fully awake and aware, he had a gun pointed right at Kaden. Jason's stomach dropped and he tossed the gun across the room, gathering Kaden into his arms and hugging him tight.

“Fuck. Kaden...Kades, I’m so sorry. I’m so...so sorry,” he whispered into the teen's hair, kissing the top of his head as a tear rolled down his cheek. He had pulled a _gun_ on his own _son_. What made him feel even worse, was that the kid was so _damned_ forgiving and understanding. Kaden gently pulled away from him.

“It's...okay Dad,” Kaden said softly, but Jason could see that the boy was visibly shaken. He cursed himself mentally as Kaden went on. “But...I think Papa is right. You need to talk to someone.” Jason couldn't deny it any longer. This was the final straw; he didn't want to be a danger to his own son, to Dick. 

“I will, I promise. I'm okay now. Thanks champ. Go back to bed,” Jason said softly, hugging the boy again and pressing a kiss to the top of his head. He sent him off to bed, but Star remained behind. As Jason lay down, Star laid down beside him. Jason smiled a bit and patted her head. “I'm okay girl.”

But, he wasn't okay. He lay, wide awake, for what felt like hours. At some point, he heard barely audible footsteps coming into the room, felt the bed move beside him, and heard Dick's soothing voice. He felt lips against his shoulder and an arm wrap around his waist, but Jason didn't move. He continued to lie there, unmoving, wide awake. Every time he tried to close his eyes, the image of Kaden staring down the barrel of a gun popped into his head.

Jason sat up, pulling carefully away from his sleeping husband, and swinging his feet over the edge of the bed. His hands carded through his hair, scrubbed his face with his hands. He couldn't stay here...he was _dangerous_ to Dick and to Kaden. The last thing he wanted was to hurt them. 

Jason looked at Dick, sleeping soundly and peacefully and he sighed, raking a hand through his hair. He couldn't stay here and possibly hurt him. He reached into the nightstand for a pad of paper and a pencil and scrawled out a note. He put the note and pencil on his end table, then leaned over and pressed a kiss to his husband's forehead. 

_Dick and Kaden,_

_Sorry but I had to get away. I’m dangerous to you both like this so I’m taking off until I can get my head on straight. I’m sorry, love you both._

_Jason_

Jason grabbed a duffel bag and silently packed some a few things, clothes, photos, and a few essentials. He pulled on a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt, then padded out to the kitchen to grab something for the road. From there, he went to Kaden's room. He creaked open the door to find his boy fast asleep, out like a light. He moved like a shadow over to the teen's bed and sat down silently. He brushed a lock of raven black hair out of the teen's eyes, then place a kiss to his forehead. The teen mumbled in his sleep, then rolled over.

“Love you, champ,” Jason whispered. He wanted – _no, he needed_ – to say goodbye before he left. He wasn't sure how long he'd be gone, save that he wasn't coming back until he could get his head on straight.

Once he said his goodbyes, Jason made his way out of Kaden's room. He grabbed his brown leather jacket and pulled it on, grabbing the keys to his motorcycle and making his way for the door. He stopped in the doorway when he saw Star sitting before him, tail wagging. He flashed a smile and knelt down to pet the dog.

“Sorry girl. You have to stay here. Look out for Dickie and Kades for me, okay?” he whispered. The dog whined sadly, licking his face before retreating making her way back inside with her tail swinging low, retreating to Kaden's room to that super soft, extra large sheepskin fur rug that Jason knew she loved. When Kaden had first spotted the ginormous heather grey rug, Jason had firmly said 'no,' but then Kaden -- with his big green eyes -- said, "But Star would _love it_ , Dad!" He realized that yes, Star was growing old and she loved all things soft; with that, it had come home and gone into Kaden's room. It was now Star's favorite sleeping spot. 

Jason smiled at the thought and closed the door, making his way downstairs and dialing Dinah's number on his phone. When he left the apartment building, he looked back up toward his apartment, feeling a pang of guilt for taking off on his husband and son like this, but Kaden was right; he needed help. He couldn't put them in danger. 

Jason turned to his motorcycle, hopping onto the bike and revving it up before taking off down the dark Gotham street. It was a cool night and the sky was clear, giving a perfect view of the stars. The ride helped Jason to clear his mind, to avoid the places in his mind where the darkness was strongest as he made his way downtown.

Jason arrived at one of his safe houses down in The Bowery a short time later, parking his motorcycle outside of the warehouse. It was a small warehouse apartment that had been abandoned for years before he came in and bought it. His favorite part was the balcony hanging off the front where Jason, before he and Dick got together, would sit and smoke, watching the sun set and rise over the Gotham skyline. He also used to keep an eye on the kids in the area; nobody fucked with the children, Jason saw to that personally. Anyone who messed with a child either got their asses kicked, or got a visit from the Red Hood himself, depending on the severity of the offense.

Jason stared at the place, a home away from home that he hadn't been to in a good few years, and let himself inside. He dropped by all of his safe houses every now and then to maintain them and keep them clean, thus the place was as spotless as ever. There were no rooms, just an upstairs and a downstairs. Once inside, the place opened up to a large living room with a large bookshelf packed with books, a kitchen, and a bathroom off to the side. The bedroom was on the floor just above him, a set of wooden stairs leading up to the floor above.

He kicked his boots off at the door and padded inside the apartment, heading first upstairs to his bedroom. He dropped the duffel bag and put his clothes away in the dresser and then headed back downstairs and into the kitchen, grabbing a beer out of the fridge. He didn't keep a whole lot here, just enough in case he ever needed to crash after patrol. He glanced at the clock as he made his way back into the living room; it was still four in the morning so he had time to kill before Dinah arrived. So over to the bookshelf he went, grabbing a book and making himself comfortable on the blue couch, propping his feet up on the coffee table and sipping his beer. 

A few hours passed while Jason sat on the couch and read his book, sleep completely out of his reach. The book kept his mind occupied and away from the trauma inflicted on him by the Joker. Without something to keep his mind busy, every little sound, from the occasional creaks on the floor to the whisper of the wind was the Joker, getting ready to strike. The silence made Jason's skin crawl and out him on high alert. He was wound up more than a two dollar watch, and it was maddening. He _hated_ it, hated feeling unable to relax, to let his guard down for a moment. If he closed his eyes, he could see that little room underneath Arkham, hear the Joker's laugh, but books...they provided an escape from his own mind.

A knock came at the door and Jason nearly jumped out of his skin, grabbing his gun on pure instinct. He approached the door, gun in hand; logic dictated that the Joker was dead and was no longer a threat, but experience told him that Joker had 'died' before and somehow always came back. Jason reached out for the door knob, apprehension rising, gun at the ready. He pulled the door open and aimed the gun, but there stood Dinah with her hands up.

“Woah, relax. I's just me,” Dinah said softly. Jason breathed a sigh of relief, then cursed himself mentally, scrubbing his face with his hands.

“I'm sorry. Please, come in,” he said softly, gesturing toward the inside of the apartment with his gun wielding hand. Dinah made her way inside, peeling off her black leather jacket and hanging it on a coat peg on the wall. She turned to Jason and carefully reached for the gun.

“Maybe we should put this away,” she said slowly. Jason absentmindedly increased his grip on the gun as Dinah tried to take it away. He sucked in a breath and let her take it. Dinah grabbed Jason's hand and sat him down on the couch.

“Jason, it's right here, alright?” she called to him, making sure he could see her put it in the drawer in the kitchen. Jason scrubbed his face with his hands and just nodded. Dinah sat across from him in a blue arm chair with a note pad and a pen handy. 

“Why don't you start at the beginning,” Dinah said softly, leaning forward a bit. “With the...first incident.” Jason looked up at her like a scared child for a moment at the idea of relieving that hell again. “You need to do this, Jason, if you want to get better.” Jason took a deep breath and nodded.

“Okay. Yeah, okay. It was twenty-one years ago...”

._._._._.

Jason sat on the couch, his hands clasped, staring blankly at the floor in silence. He had just finished telling his story, both of them; the first time he'd been captured which ultimately led to him taking on the Red Hood persona, and the last time. The night when he _finally_ killed the Joker. Dinah couldn't think of anything to say. What Jason had told her, the things that he'd gone through were horrific. Were she honest, the fact that he was sitting here, coherent at all, was amazing in itself. It was a testament to how strong Jason really was. It also meant that it was going to take a _lot_ of work to help him, especially since he didn't get the help he needed the first time around.

“The nightmares, waking up in a panic, scaring the _hell_ out of my own son-” Jason said softly, deliberately leaving out the detail about the gun. He looked up at Dinah, eyes full of anxiety, fear, and despair. “I feel so _goddamn_ lost. So _damn_ helpless. Trapped, even. Stuck in this nightmare that I can't crawl out of.” Jason pinched the bridge of his nose, holding back the frustrated tears that threatened to spill over his face. When he looked up again, he laughed, hand waving through the air dismissively. “Hell, for added fun, every time I close my eyes, I can hear the Joker's laugh. I can see and smell that room under Arkham,” Jason paused as his breath hitched, pinching the bridge of his nose again, but a few tears got by anyway, “And every. Little. Sound...has me on edge. Like the Joker could be _right fucking there_ , waiting for me.” 

Dinah remained silent and listened, letting Jason get as much of this out as he could. When he finally stopped talking, when it seemed like he either couldn't speak or had no more to say, Dinah leaned forward in her chair and gently patted his shoulder. Jason looked up at her with a hopeful expression, and she smiled.

“Jason. What you went through was a _horrific_ experience. Anyone else would have broken. But here you are,” she said, smile broadening as she gesture toward him, “talking about it, looking for help. Strong.” Jason shook his head slightly, and heaved a weary sigh. “I can't say I have any concrete answers, and it'll take time. A lot of time. But, I'll be here to help you. Every step of the way. Whenever you're ready.”

Jason finally looked up at her again, scrubbing his face with his hands, smiling for the first time in what felt like years.

“Let's do it.”

._._._._.

As promised, Dinah came by Jason's warehouse apartment every day that she was able. They'd sit down and talk for hours at a time; Jason's wounds ran deeply, Dinah had come to realize, and they weren't the kind that could be healed easily with a one hour conversation every other week. In return, Jason would often cook or order take out for the two of them. A week had passed like this and Jason was making progress. Slow progress, but progress nonetheless.

Dinah had decided it was now time for the next step; helping Jason confront his fear. She brought her car today, since she suspected Jason would not drive himself to where they needed to go. Jason seemed a bit nervous the whole way; Dinah suspected some part of him knew where they were going. When they got there, Jason looked damn near ready to bolt. 

“Here we are,” she said softly, parking in front of Arkham Asylum. Jason looked at her with a hint of panic in his expression. She held his shoulder soothingly and nodded toward the building. “You have to face it, Jason. You have to confront your fear if you ever want to move passed it,” she assured him. Jason looked back toward Arkham, the memories of his kidnapping and torture, both times, coming back to him, engulfing his mind. He closed his eyes tight, digging his fingers into his hair, taking deep, steady breaths to maintain his composure.

A hand on his wrists grounded him, brought him back to reality. When he opened his eyes, Dinah was standing in front oh him, the passenger's side door open. She didn't say a word, just looked into his eyes, squeezing his wrists, a physical reminder that he was _not_ inside Arkham. That he was _here_ , with her, and he _was safe_.

Jason gave a curt nod and took one final breath before pulling himself out of the car. Jason heaved a weary sigh as a hand raked through strands of black and white. The lock of white hair was another of the Joker's parting gifts to him; he 'borrowed' some particularly potent fear gas from Scarecrow to use on him because he thought it would be 'funny'. To say it was 'unpleasant', would be the understatement of the century. When he closed the car door, when his eyes fell upon the main building of Arkham Asylum, he felt his stomach churn, felt his knees grow weak, felt his entire body go numb. Every fiber of his being told him to _run_. To run _as far away as he could_ from this place, this... _hell_.

His hand was practically glued to the car door handle, clenching until his knuckles had gone white. It was only when Dinah patted his shoulder that he found himself back in reality, grounded and ready to go in.

“Come on. I'll be with you every step of the way,” Dinah said, flashing a smile. Jason swallowed hard but gave a nod nonetheless and followed her inside. The irony was that, not only did he fear this place for what the Joker had done to him here, but he also feared ending up here, his mind broken. That was precisely why they were here, to conquer his fears.

Arkham Asylum looked are foreboding and eerie as it always had, but inside, it was...peaceful. This, however, was just the main building, where the lower level patients were kept. The metas and mutants and truly criminally insane were kept in a completely separate wing of the Asylum. Security had been upgraded immeasurably over the last couple of weeks, thanks to Bruce, though with the Joker dead, it seemed like overkill now.

For the most part, Jason found that he was relatively okay with most of the Asylum. He was a little on edge the entire time, but otherwise, he managed well enough. But then came the real test. The two of them managed to slip into the abandoned wing of the the Asylum. It was here that Jason felt himself losing his edge. Into the abandoned wing they went though, down, down, down...until they found themselves at the very room in which Jason had been kept, both times.

“I-I can't-” Jason murmured, feeling panic rising up inside him. He could hear the Joker's laugh echoing in his head, hear his voice, see his teenage self tied up with barbed wire in the middle of the room. He was there again, reliving it all over again. The Joker was hitting him with the crowbar; the jokes and the puns, and the sadistic laughing. Jason curled into a ball on the floor, fingers threading through his hair as he shut his eyes tight, struggling to hold back the tears, a tidal wave of raw emotion crashing down on him. He heard Dinah's voice, but it was muffled, hard to hear.

“Jason!” Dinah shouted, shaking him hard. Jason tensed for a moment when their eyes met as he opened them. His fingers were still digging at his scalp, still trying to fight off the ghosts of his past, but as Dinah talked him through it, her tone calm, gentle, soothing, he felt calmness settling over him. She helped him to his feet, but found it hard to stand; his legs itched with the desire to run, but his mind told him to stay. And so he was frozen...

Jason slowly moved to the center of the room with Dinah by his side. He took several deep breaths, as the memories played back in his mind, but he kept reminding himself that they were memories. They weren't real, he was safe, and the Joker was dead. It was truly over. And it was time to move on.

“Jason,” came Dinah's voice, clearing away the haze that lingered in his mind. He looked over at her and she patted his arm soothingly. “You need to accept what happened. Accept it, process it, and cope. Remember who you are, and remember that no matter what we do, we can't change the past,” she said to him. “And once you accept that, you'll be free. I'm not saying it will be easy and I'm not saying the memories will go away.” She moved to stand beside him and gently pushed him closer to the middle of the room. “But it _will_ get better. I promise. It just takes time.”

Jason closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The sound of the Joker's voice started to fade, the images of himself as a teenager began to blur until nothing remained but memories...

“Can we leave now?” he asked, his voice low and almost scared. Dinah smiled and patted his back.

“Yes. We can.”

._._._._.

Another week went by with Dinah continuing to drop by at every opportunity. They'd taken another couple of trips to Arkham, with Jason's mental state gradually improving with each one. As they talked, however, it seemed apparent that Jason wasn't ready to give up the vigilante life yet. However, there was a problem with his identity, The Red Hood.

“You'll have to give up being the Red Hood, Jason,” Dinah flat out told him as the two of them sat in his living room, talking. Jason opened and closed his mouth several times, unsure of what to say. The Red Hood's work was important, so could he really give that up? 

“The Red Hood came from a place of anger, of rage. You took on the persona, Joker's old identity, after suffering at his hands for months. The Red Hood was born from your own trauma. Continuing with that identity would hamper your recovery,” Dinah explained to him. Jason frowned at her explanation but she knew she was right. Rage and pain is what made the Red Hood what he was. Driven by the most powerful of emotions but also the most toxic. Jason would need something new, something fresh. A clean slate to start anew.

As Jason sat there, thinking, his mind wandered back to early days, as Robin, Boy Wonder. He began to recall Bruce telling him how he created Batman. Batman was created from, Bruce's once-fear of bats. But he turned that fear into a weapon, overcame it, and became Batman. Jason grinned from ear to ear as an idea came to mind.

“I've got an idea.”

And so, Jason spent the next few weeks building the costume for his new persona. Dinah continued to work with him, even pitched on a bit on the design of his new costume and then it was time to unveil a whole new vigilante, a whole new Jason.

Chaos was breaking out in Gotham with Black Mask and his men taking advantage of The Red Hood's absence, and the ensuing chaos, to muscle his way back into Gotham. Jason, in his new gear, made his way through Black Mask's men, tearing a swathe through the building the man was hiding in.

“By our estimation, the last of the Joker's gang-” Ms. Li began, but she was interrupted as the double doors to the office we torn off their hinges. There stood a man donned in black, militaristic gear. His face was obscured by a black helmet, reminiscent of Batman's cowl, with a visor with a red holographic display and a pair of glowing blue eyes. He also wore a chestplate with the Arkham logo on the chest, black gauntlets, boots, and black and red camouflage paramilitary pants. In each hand, the man carried a dual action pistol. He strode toward Black Mask, easily disabling his body guards with a few quick melee attacks. He nodded toward the door and Ms. Li fled.

“And who the fuck are you supposed to be?” Black Mask growled darkly, reaching underneath his desk. Jason pointed both guns at Black Mask.

“You can call me the Arkham Knight. And I wouldn't do that if I were you. One false move and I'll pump you so full of lead, the coroner won't be able to identify the body.” Black Mask growled and stared back at the Arkham Knight.

“Kid, I've been at this game for a long time. A word of advice-” Black Mask began. He growled and with effort, he threw his desk at Jason and tried to flee, bolting for the door. Jason ducked the desk as it flew over his head and crashed against the wall, then bolted after Black Mask. He grabbed him by the shoulder and whipped him across the room, the man slamming into the nearby wall. 

Jason fired a shot at the window, shattering the glass, then hauled Black Mask up off his feet by his jacket and moved to the window. He dangled the man out of the broken window, the man shouting in fear.

“Please no! I’ll do anything! I’ll leave Gotham! You can even pick the destination!” Black Mask pleaded as he was held by his jacket over the edge of the broken window, five stories up off of the ground. 

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. Black Mask, you piece of sub-human garbage. You thought you could muscle in on the Red Hood’s territory, take advantage of the chaos? Well, you thought wrong.” The man shook him a bit and Black Mask flinched noticeably.

“No! I’ll leave Gotham! Forever! You can even tell me where to go, I’ll go anywhere, just spare me!”

“How about you go to Hell!” The man said in a low tone, dropping Black Mask. 

“No!” Nightwing shouted. Jason glanced over to see the man lunging for Black Mask, but he pulled out a grappling gun and fired it, the wire wrapping around Black Mask’s leg and catching him just a few few above the ground.

“Relax, I wasn’t going to kill him. Just scare him shitless,” Jason said with a laugh. Nightwing’s eyes narrowed as he drew closer to the man.

“Jason?” he whispered. He was silent for a moment while he undid the hook, looking out the window to watch Black Mask tumble the last few feet to the ground. He then turned to Nightwing and pulled off his helmet.

“Hello, Dickie-bird.” Then Nightwing punched him. Jason stumbled back and groaned, rubbing his jaw.

“Okay, not the greeting I was expecting, but I may have deserved that.”

“May have, you asshole?!” Nightwing growled. Jason raised his hands defensively, but then the next thing he knew, Nightwing was pressing his lips against his own. He closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around the man’s waist, deepening the kiss and pulling him close.

“It’s good to have you back, Jaybird. I missed you.” Jason smiled at him and gave a nod.

“It’s good to be back.”

._._._._.

Jason, Dick, Bruce, Alfred, Kaden, Tim, Damian, Barbara, Roy and Lian were gathered in the backyard of Wayne Manor with one final task to complete to help with Jason's recovery, at Dinah's behest. They stood in a circle around Jason's Red Hood gear, ready to burn it. After a length conversation down in the Batcave about where he'd been and what he'd been doing, Jason brought up Dinah's suggestion and they all agreed to be present for it.

There Jason stood with the red mask in hand, the rest of his gear laying on the ground and Kaden holding a lighter in hand. Jason looked around, from Dick and Kaden, to Roy and Lian, to Damian, Bruce, Alfred, and then lastly to Barbara.

"Are you ready for this, Master Jason?" Alfred asked. Jason looked up at Alfred and the back to the helmet again. Then he gave a glance to Dick, Kaden, Roy and Lian and gave a nod.

“Yeah, it's time to put and end to this guy. Bruce, will you take care of this? A little fire ain't gonna destroy it,” Jason said with a chuckle of amusement as he handed the helmet to Bruce. Bruce nodded in reply as he took the helmet from Jason

“I'll see that it's disposed of. For what it's worth, I think you're doing the right thing Jason.” Bruce said. 

“Me too,” Dick added, patting the man's back soothingly and kissing his jaw. Roy wrapped an arm around Jason's shoulder, grinning from ear to ear.

"That makes three, Jaybird. The Red Hood was a _little_ bit too wild," Roy said with a laugh.

"That's kind of an understatement, isn't it?" Lian teased.

“Yeah, no kidding” Kaden added, grinning from ear to ear and hugging his father. Jason chuckled in amusement and patted the teen's back, placing a kiss atop his head. Kaden made a mock disgusted sound and playfully pushed the man away. Jason just laughed and ruffled his hair.

“Yeah, it's for the best. But that gear though, it was so nice. And expensive,” Jason lamented, staring at the pile on the ground.

"It really was. The Red Hood had some pretty impressive gear," Tim added with a smirk, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You're not helping, Drake," Damian said flatly.

“And also needs to be destroyed if you're ever going to move on,” Dick pointed out, ignoring the other two for a moment to focus on Jason. Jason just gave a nod in response, taking a deep breath.

“I know, I know. Kades, you wanna do the honors?” Jason asked. Kaden nodded, igniting the lighter and dropping it onto the gear. They stood around, watching it burn, and Jason watched an old chapter of his life end, and a new one begin.


	51. We'll Handle It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “We’ll hand it it, they said. Don’t worry, they said. It’ll be fun, they said. Oh but wait, they didn’t." Nightwing and the Arkham Knight land themselves in hot water when they get in over their heads.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, 2 to 1 for every other prompt, #5 won. There was a lot of wiggle room for that one, so this is what I chose to go with! Enjoy! ^^

“We’ll hand it it, they said. Don’t worry, they said. It’ll be fun, they said. Oh but wait, they didn’t,” Poltergeist growled to himself. As Ghost, he’d tried to warn Nightwing and Arkham Knight that there were more mercenaries on the other side of those doors than they were expecting. But no, they both insisted that they could handle it, and Knight thought it would be fun.

Well, they were right, up until they were wrong and some of those mercenaries started using venom. And now Poltergeist had to go in and save their asses. For starters, Batman was caught up in a gang war initiated by Harley Quinn’s gang. She took over the remnants of the Joker’s crew after he died, and she was absolutely ruthless and psychotic.

Arsenal and Speedy had trouble of their own in Star City, Superman was dealing with a situation back in Metropolis, and The Flash was tangled up in a revenge plot against him over in Central City. So, Poltergeist was pretty much it. He didn’t have the training his parents had, or any of the other heroes for that matter, but he _had_ to do something. On the other hand, he was a computer whiz, and could probably turn that to his advantage.

So when he finally managed to sneak his way to the building where both Nightwing and Red Hood were being held captive, he pulled up his wrist-mounted holo-computer and got to work.

“Let's see here....blueprints...hmmm...security cameras,” he muttered to himself. He hacked the cameras with relative ease to get a better look inside the building, while stashing himself away somewhere he couldn’t be seen while he got to work.

“Ah shit. Heavily armed, all over the place. Knight and Nightwing are alone though, so I guess that’s a plus,” he muttered to himself, switching through the cameras to find a way to sneak inside. He hadn’t said it out loud, but he thought the both of them were idiots. They got over confident and got themselves captured. Well, Poltergeist opted for a more stealthy approach and-

“Fuck. Ventilation Ducts. That’s so cliche, not to mention lame as hell,” he growled to himself, looking around for it. But he found it and reluctantly crawled into it, and began the trek inside, following his computer to where Knight and Nightwing were being held.

* * * * *

“Where’s your sense of fun, Nightwing? This’ll be easy Nightwing. Last time I listen to you,” Nightwing said flatly. Knight laughed in amusement, both of them bound back to back in chairs. He turned his head as much as he could.

“C’mon, it could be-”

“Don’t. Say it,” Nightwing interrupted. Knight laughed again and shook his head.

“Okay, I wont, but I _will_ say that you need to live a little! Setbacks happen! And besides, it _was_ kind of fun,” Knight replied. Nightwing snorted, tilting his head back and closing his eyes.

“Okay, yeah. A little bit. Right up until the point where a bunch of venom-infused thugs overpowered us and-” he turned his head as much as he could toward Knight and growled “tied us up!” Knight snorted and shook his head.

“You have no sense of adventure!”

“And you have no sense!”

While the two of them argued, Poltergeist watched from above, trying to formulate a plan of escape. And something else...

“Thanks Poltergeist! You’re awesome! ‘Aw, thanks! I know I am!’ No really, you’re the most awesome hero ever! ‘Please, you’re going to make me blush!’” Poltergeist snickered to himself as he finished unscrewing the grate and carefully pulling it up and moving it aside.

“Alright, game time,” he muttered to himself, typing away on his computer again. He’d suggested raising the alarm on the opposite side of the compound to draw attention away, but that was when the Arkham Knight decided it would be ‘more fun’ to just burst in and beat them all down. Well, now Ghost’s idea was the key to saving both his idiot parents.

“Aaaand....bingo!” Poltergeist said to himself with a cocky smirk, as alarms started blaring on the opposite side of the compound. He tapped back into the security cameras and watched as roughly half of the mercenaries outside the room rushed off to follow the alarm.

Poltergeist hopped down then and flipped an escrima stick in hand, the other patting his gun. It was an upgrade from his stun gun, a gun that fired non-lethal electric bullets. 

“’Thank you for saving our asses, Poltergeist!’ Oh, you’re very welcome!” Poltergeist said with a little grin as he got to undoing Nightwing and Knight’s bonds. Nightwing sighed in relief and flexed his wrists when he was freed and the Arkham Knight, for his part, cracked his knuckles.

“You did good, kid,” he said with a grin, ruffling the teen’s hair. Poltergeist gave a grin and a shrug.

“Good enough I guess,” he replied. Knight turned to Nightwing rolled his head a little, cracking his neck.

“Alright, let’s just get this done and get out of here,: he suggested. Nightwing scoffed at him.

“Te big bag Arkham Knight passing on a fight?” Nightwing teased. Knight snorted.

“Yeah, well...shut up and let’s go,” Knight said flatly, sneaking out through the door with Nightwing and Poltergeist behind him. There were still a dozen men scattered around the room, wielding automatic rifles, two of them hopped up on venom with only their fists as weapons. 

“Alright, the venom shipment is behind this building. It’s all loaded up and ready to go, but if we’re quick-” Poltergeist was interrupted by the sounds of combat and looked up to find Knight taking down the men in the room. He sighed and shook his head.

“What? You can’t tie a man up and not expect a little payback! Y’know, unless it’s in be-”

“Okay, TMI,” Poltergeist interrupted, slipping past them and out through the back entrance. Two patrolmen spotted them, but Nightwing took them out quickly, then the trio made for the docks. The alarm had just died down and only a few mercenaries were left on the docks. Nightwing and The Arkham Knight exchanged looks and then grinned.

* * * * *

Jason, Dick and Kaden all returned to the clock tower, still in their gear, save for their masks, laughing. Jason patted Kaden on the shoulder and grinned at the teen.

“Not bad for your first _real_ field mission! Proud of you!” he said. Kaden’s face lit up at his father’s praise and when he opened his mouth to speak, Jason interrupted with “but no, you can’t go out on patrol with us.” Kaden frowned.

“What? Why? I just saved _both_ your asses!”

“Butts,” Dick corrected. Kaden rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest.

“I think he’s proven himself, Jason,” Barbara pointed out.

“You didn’t let me finish!” Jason said defensively. He turned to Kaden and said “maybe you can come out on a mission once in a while, but for now, just keep being Ghost for a while. Until shit with Harley settles down,” he offered. Kaden frowned, but then sighed and shook his head.

“Alright, I guess I can live with that,” he replied with a shrug.

“C’mon, you can’t deny you like being Ghost!” Dick interjected. Kaden glanced over at his papa, and then grinned like the Cheshire Cat.

“Okay, yeah, it’s pretty awesome. Being the adviser, the awesome super hacker,” Kaden replied. Barbara chuckled in amusement and patted the teen on the back.

“And he’s quite good at it too.”

“Yeah, and maybe next time you can listen to me when I offer advice?” Kaden added with a quirk of his eyebrow. Dick and Jason laughed at him, the both of them patting his shoulders.

“Alright, you got a point. Next time.”

“Good. I don’t want top have to embarrass you guys again by coming to your rescue,” he teased.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's a little short. The fact that it also had a lot of wiggle room was also a downside. Wasn't really sure what to do with it ~_~


	52. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaden meets his mother for the first time, and finds himself at a loss. What should he do? How should he feel? It doesn't play out like he expected it to, and now he's...confused.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one jumped out at me a bit after I finished the last one. I don't know Talia as well as I would like to, so writing her for a part like this was...difficult. ~_~

Kaden let out an excited sound when the bell rang, signaling the end of school. The day seemed to drag on forever and he couldn’t be happier to be out of there. The plus side though, was seeing the fruit of his labors first hand; that kid Matt he was giving dating advice too had finally hooked up with another guy he was interested in, and they were making out in front of his locker.

Kaden grinned at the sight as he passed by, swinging his locker open and jamming his books into it; he wouldn’t be needing them this weekend, since he had no homework. That gave him the entire weekend to think about asking Lian out on a date, because frankly, he didn’t think he stood a chance with his other crush. Speak of the devil...

A black haired haired teen passed by him, and Kaden’s stomach started to flutter as he watched captain of the football team pass by. The teen was very attractive to say the least, bisexual, like Kaden, and desirable by just about every girl and gay guy at school. He was considered one of the hottest guys in school, and unfortunately, way out of Kaden’s league. He himself was pretty high on the pecking order, but his nerdy side sort of held him back in the high school social pecking order. Or in layman’s terms; High School sucked.

“Hey Kaden, what’s up?” he asked, stopping in front of the team and flashing him a smile. Kaden had to fight to keep his face from lighting up like a Christmas Tree and tried to play things off cool. He flashed a grin and raked a hand through his hair.

“Oh hey, Zachary. Y’know, the usual; just eager to get out of school and do something that doesn’t involve sleeping at a desk,” he joked, earning a laugh from the other teen. Zachary flashed him a smile that drew a slight blush to Kaden’s face, but thankfully the teen didn’t notice.

“Well I’ll see you around! Oh and congrats by the way. Heard you took first place at the Regional Gymnastics Competition! Catch you later!” he called, waving back to him. Kaden’s face started to tint pink as he lightly banged it against his locker.

“Ugh, idiot,” he muttered to himself, heaving a sigh and heading out of the building hefting his side bag over his shoulder. He thought about his two crushes, Lian and Zachary, and felt a little bad that he was asking Lian out. He felt like he was ‘settling’, not that he really was. He had a crush on the both of them, but of the two, Lian seemed less likely to laugh in his face. That would be a huge blow that his pride wouldn’t be able to handle.

As he stepped out of the building, a strange woman he’s never seen before smiled at him and waved him over. He looked around, quirking an eyebrow, because surely, she couldn’t be looking for him, right? But no, there was no one else around. Shrugged his shoulders, he resigned himself to go over and see what she wanted.

She looked older, in her 40s at least, but Kaden could see traces of make up. It was possible she was older, but it was hard to tell. She had flowing brown hair, down to her waist, with vibrant green eyes. Dressed in a simple dark green blouse and a pair of dark pants, she was a stunning beauty, but to Kaden...something felt...off.

“Uh...hi, can I help you?” he asked, hefting his side bag again. The woman smiled at him, a warm smile that seemed to set him at ease. Kaden managed a weak smile back and she gave him a slight nod.

“I believe that you can, Kaden.”

* * * * *

Jason pinned Dick on the couch beneath him, the both of them in nothing but their boxers as Jason sucked and kissed at the man’s neck, Dick moaning and writing beneath him. Jason chuckled against his skin and opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted when the door flew open. The two of them jumped apart when Kaden entered the apartment, not having heard the lock because they were so engrossed in each other.

“Hey, uh, Kaden. How was school?” Jason asked nervously. Dick swatted his shoulder lightly and said “today was the half day!” Jason glared at him, then flashed an apologetic look.

“Well, excuse me for trying to be romantic!” he whispered. Dick snorted lightly.

“Couch sex is hardly romantic, Jaybird,” he whispered back with a smirk on his face, and Jason grinned at him.

“Didn’t hear you complaining.” But their attention was drawn back to Kaden who looked...shocked. They were both concerned, but first thing was first; getting their pants back on. And so they went about pulling their jeans on and Jason was first, moving across the room to the kitchen table, hand raking through his hair as he dropped down into a chair across from his son. Dick came up from behind him and opted to lean against the back of his chair.

“Kade? Baby bird? Is something wrong?” Jason asked softly. Kaden looked up at his dad, the dumbstruck look still plastered on his face. 

“I uh...I think I...” but he licked his lips and paused, looking out into space again, a very thoughtful look on his face. Dick and Jason exchanged glances and then Dick spoke next.

“You think you what, Kaden?” Kaden frowned then looked at both his parents.

“I think I met my mother today.” Jason and Dick exchanged concerned glances, then Jason grabbed his son’s forearm.

“Are you sure? How do you know? What was her name?” he asked, firing off the questions in rapid succession without giving Kaden a chance to answer. Kaden raked a hand through his hair then looked up at his dad, having regained some of his composure.

“I...didn’t ask her name. But...she knew things...things that few people know, like...she knew how...how you found me when I was a baby,” Kaden began, staring down at the table, his expression unreadable as he continued “she knew that...I’m claustrophobic, she knows I like computers, and that I...she knew my birthday. My...my real one, she said.” He looked up at his parents with a look that was mix of emotions from hurt, angry, confused, and they felt so bad for their son, because they couldn’t think of anything to say or do.

“I was...born February fifth. And...I...” Kaden scrubbed his face with his hands and both his parents rounded the table to embrace him.

“I’m so...confused. I was happy...not knowing, I mean because, she just gave me away. I though if I ever met her, I’d be...angry, or...I wouldn’t care but..I’m..I’m hurt! And Confused! I don’t know what to feel!” Kaden said in a low tone, shaking his head. Jason sighed and hugged him to his chest and Dick patted his back and kissed his head.

“It’s okay Kaden. We’ll figure this out,” Dick promised, giving Jason a knowing look. Jason didn’t reply, just nodded and decided on a course of action; she did this to _his_ son, so she was _going_ to fix it.

* * * * *

Talia was in the manor, talking with Damian and Bruce. Alfred had served them drinks and it was not quite clear just yet why she was here, though both Bruce and Damian suspected it was more than just a friendly visit with her son.

“You talked to Kaden I take it?” Damian asked, sipping his drink. Talia looked into the red liquid, expression unreadable, then she looked back up at Damian.

“I did.”

“And?”

“And what? You know he was a mistake-” Damian growled, interrupting her and snatching the glass out of her hand.

“Kaden was _not_ a mistake, _mother_. He is your son, whether you like it or not, and he _deserves_ to know the truth,” Damian snapped at her. Talia stared at him in surprise, but raise a hand in a defensive manner.

“You’re right. Poor choice of words. Kaden was not meant to be born, but he was and I have no attachment to-”

“You lie, mother. Remember who trained me. Is this why you came? To see the child you abandoned?” Damian snapped.

“Speaking of which, I hope you’re fucking proud of yourself,” came Jason’s voice from behind them, and he looked livid. Damian stepped up beside her in case things got ugly, which it seemed they would, judging from how angry Jason was.

“What the hell is wrong with you?! Kaden is at home, confused, angry, upset, pretty much every emotion you can possibly imagine!” Jason shouted at her. She remained passive, and spoke not a word, which only made Jason angrier.

“Who the hell do you think you are?! Waltzing back into his life after sixteen years? Do you have any idea how upset he is right now?! He doesn’t even know what to feel, Talia!” Jason shouted again, throwing his arms through the air.

“I’m his mother. I have a right-”

“No, you don’t. You gave up that right when you walked out on him sixteen years ago!” Jason growled, interrupting Talia and taking a threatening step toward her. Jason and Talia locked eyes, exchanging glares. Then Jason pointed to the door and said “you did this, so you get your _ass_ over to the apartment and fix it!”

“She doesn’t have to,” came Kaden’s voice from behind them. Everyone turned toward him and saw Kaden and Dick coming through the door. Kaden looked at his mother with a neutral expression, then at his father and said “I wanted to come. I wanted to see her, so...papa brought me here.”

A silence settled over the room as Kaden stopped a few short feet from his mother. He stared at her for several moments, as if trying to uncover the identity of a complete stranger, and indeed, she was a stranger for all intents and purposes.

“Why? Where were you?” Kaden asked in an even tone. Talia sighed deeply and tossed her head back, locking eyes with the son she hadn’t seen in sixteen years. Well, that wasn’t quite accurate.

“I...was focusing on other...things. Things you don’t need to know about,” Talia began slowly. Kaden went to speak, but she continued “I gave you up to your father, because at the time...I didn’t want you.” Kaden flinched a bit as if struck, and Jason shot Talia the nastiest glare he could muster.

“You were a mistake. You were never meant to be born-” Kaden took a step back, unable to believe what he was hearing.

“That’s enough,” Jason shouted, stepping between them. He grabbed his son by his shoulders and made him look at him.

“Is it true? Am I...am I a mistake?” he asked softly, and Jason felt his heart sink at how broken his son looked.

“Absolutely not, Kaden! You’re the best thing that ever happened to me! Look at me!” Jason said to him, making Kaden’s eyes meet his own.

“I wont lie, at first, I wasn’t sure I wanted you, but _only_ because I didn’t think I was good enough,” Jason said smoothly, hugging his son tightly.

“But after only a few short days, I knew I was making the right choice. You are _not_ a mistake.” Kaden sighed a bit and hugged his father, then glared up at his mother, whose expression was still neutral. Jason turned to Talia and pointed to the door.

“Leave. You’ve done enough.”

“I wasn’t finished,” she snapped. Jason opened his mouth to speak, but this time, Damian interrupted.

“Let her finish, Todd.” Jason glared at Damian, who merely glared back, but Kaden and Talia were focused on each other.

“Times changed. Just because I wasn’t there, doesn’t mean I wasn’t watching,” Talia said softly, cupping her son’s cheek. Kaden flinched at the contact, he previous words still stinging him.

“You’ve grown into a fine young man and time has made me see that...what I did, what I haven’t done, in sixteen years, was a mistake,” she explained. Jason was honestly surprised to see this side of Talia. A side she only showed to Damian and Bruce.

“But I am here now. You deserved to know, to meet me. You deserved closure.” She looked back at Damian who shot her a glare; they just nodded to each other.

“And I _wanted_ to see you.”

Kaden was silent the whole time she spoke, his expression completely blank. Jason and Dick exchanged glances, the two of them worried for Kaden; the poor teen didn’t look like he knew how to handle it.

“Well...you saw me,” Kaden said softly, eyes averted to the floor. After a few moments of silence, he looked back up at her and shrugged his shoulders.

“I should be pissed. I kind of am. But I’m not, because you’re my mother. I don’t know you, but I’d kind of like to.” Kaden looked back at both Dick and Jason, then back to Talia.

“But just so we’re clear, Dick his my parent. He’s my dad. Jason and Dick are both my parents, my dad, and my pa.” Kaden said that with a level of confidence and pride that made both Dick and Jason smile. He seemed adamant about that, and Talia smiled a half smile and nodded.

“I understand. What happens next is up to you,” Talia said carefully. Kaden gave a nod. He shrugged a bit, not sure what to say now, what to do now.

“I...I don’t know. M-maybe...family dinner, or something? I dunno,” he suggested nervously. Dick snickered and buried his face in Jason’s neck.

“Like father, like son.”

“Bite me.”

“Maybe later.” 

Talia smiled and bit and looked around the room at Damian, Bruce, Jason and Dick.

“I think I could manage that much.”


	53. Second Chances

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous Prompt: Jason's father has returned to Gotham, having faked his death, and now he searches to reunite with his estranged son.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one...was interesting. It also proved much more difficult to write than I anticipated. ~_~

Dick sat on the couch in the living room watching...well, he didn’t know, he wasn’t really paying attention to it. Today was a lazy day for him, because hey, everyone had one of those days. Dressed in nothing but a pair of blue dorm pants, he was sprawled out on the couch, attention only half on the tv. Jason had been out late last night with Roy, who’d dropped by for a visit and to hang out with his old friend, so naturally, he was still out cold. Though not for long from the sounds of it; he could hear light cursing from down the hallway.

Dick smiled to himself at the sound, amused as always. Jason was not a morning person and it had always been funny watching, and listening, to him get up. But there was no time for that, not now, because a knock came at the door. Dick sighed and pulled himself up off of the couch and moved to the door, pulling it open to see an older looking man with dark gray hair and blue eyes.

“Can I help you?” Dick asked, quirking an eyebrow at the man. He didn’t know what to make of this guy, who looked average in every way. He’d never seen him around Gotham before, not that he could remember, anyway. He wore a simple brown jacket, a pair of jeans and a white shirt.

“I’m looking for Jason Todd. Is he here?” the man asked politely. Dick raked a hand through his hair and looked back into the apartment, just in time to see Jason shuffling out in a pair of red dorm pants, looking hung over and still somewhat tired.

“Hey Jaybird, it’s for you,” Dick called, gesturing toward the man. Jason grumbled at him but didn’t look. Dick chuckled in amusement and shook his head, trying again “Jason, you have a guest.” Jason grumble again then finally looked toward the door, hand massaging the back of his neck. He stared for several long, silent moments, then did a double-take. In a matter of moments, his expression went from recognition, to shock, to anger. Then his hangover seemed to suddenly dissipate into nothingness.

“You son of a bitch!” Jason shouted, storming toward the door. The man looked unperturbed, but Dick was shocked by the sudden outburst. He wrapped his arms around Jason to hold him back as he tried to swing at the man.

“Jason, what the hell?!” he yelled at the man. Jason pushed Dick off of him and backed away, pointing right at the man.

“How fucking dare you show your face here!” he shouted, voice full of anger. Dick looked back and forth between the two of them, utterly confused.

“You know each other?” he asked. Jason snorted and glanced over at his husband before turning his glare back on the man before him.

“You could say that. Willis Todd. My father,” Jason ground out, fists clenching and jaw working furiously. Dick’s eyes flew wide open in shock; Jason’s father?! But-

“I thought he was-”

“Dead? Yeah, so did I,” Jason interrupted. The man cleared his throat and tried to explain, but Jason cut him off.

“Get the hell out! Whatever excused and lies you have, I don’t want to hear them!” Jason growled. The man attempted to speak again, but Jason pointed down the hall.

“I said get out!” Jason shouted. The man didn’t move, that same neutral expression still on his face.

“Jason, please. I want to make amends, and maybe see my grand-”

“Don’t you dare call him that! You have no right! I don’t want you anywhere near my son, do you hear me?! Now get out!” The man didn’t argue and instead gave a curt nod and left. Jason slammed the door shut then stormed to the bedroom and slammed the door. Dick watched the whole thing in disbelief. It took a few moments, but he eventually shook himself out of it and followed after his husband.

Dick knocked gently on the door before pushing it open, to find Jason sitting on the bed, staring at a family photo of the three of them together, from when Kaden was only ten.

“Jaybird-” Dick began, but Jason glared at him and put the picture back down on the nightstand.

“No Dick, don’t even start. I’m not giving that mother fucker any chances!” Jason snapped, pushing himself off the bed and up onto his feet. He glared at Dick then pointed to himself.

“Dick, that man tried to raise me to be a criminal! All he ever taught me was how to steal!” Jason said. He swung his arms through the air and turned his back on Dick, then went on “and then he fucking took off and left me and my drug-addled mother to fend for ourselves.” He turned to Dick and shook his head “or more accurately, he left me to fend for myself. You don’t know what I did...what I had to do to survive.” 

Jason sunk down on the bed and scrubbed his face with his hands. Dick sat beside him and wrapped an arm around him, pulling him closer. But Jason wasn’t in the mood; he pushed Dick away, but not roughly. Just enough to send the message. So Dick let go of him and backed off a little.

“What’s worse is he faked his death and he didn’t even bother to come back. Almost thirty years, Dickie,” Jason said in a low tone, looked over at Dick. Dick flashed an apologetic look as the man went on “almost thirty years, and not a single, damn word.”

Dick and Jason sat in silence then, and Dick was content to sit with the man as long as he wanted. He would’ve liked to hug him, kiss him, anything to make him feel better, but he wasn’t sure if the contact was...wanted...right now. Jason sighhed deeplty and scrubbed his face with his hands.

“God dammit,” he muttered to himself. Dick cleared his throat and waited for Jason to tell him to stop, but when he didn’t, he went on.

“I think you should give him a chance, Jaybird,” Dick said softly, patting the man’s back. Jason sighed and just shook his head. He looked over at Dick with a neutral expression on his face.

“Dick, that man is the reason my mother is dead. He was the one feeding her addiction, and even after he was gone...she was too far gone. _He left us._ ” Dick flashed him a sad look and kissed his head.

“I know Jaybird, but everyone deserves a second chance.” Jason sighed again and shook his head.

“Not today. I need...time. I’m still so...damn angry.”

* * * *

_His mother was singing to him, singing something he couldn’t remember the words to. But her voice was beautiful, and he felt at peace while she sang, he felt happy. She was lying in bed, drugged up, but still somewhat aware, smiling at him, her hand gently stroking his cheek. They were sitting in a shitty apartment, his mother laying on her side on a raggedy mattress on the floor. But she was just smiling at him, singing to him, her hand gently sifting through his hair._

_“My little Jaybird” she said softly._

Jason’s eyes opened and he found himself back in his apartment, with Dick sleeping soundly in his arms. He took a deep breath, then carefully pulled himself out of bed, careful not to wake Dick. He raked a hand through his hair and sat on the edge of the bed, just staring at the floor. Dick woke a few minutes later, grumbling at the loss of Jason’s arms around him and glanced up at the man. He yanwed and sat up, moving behind him.

“Jaybird? Can’t sleep?” he asked quietly. Jason glanced over at the man and shook his head.

“Nightmares again?”

“No,” Jason replied. Dick rested his chin on Jason’s shoulder and wrapped his arms around the man’s waist.

“Then what?” he asked softly. Jason sighed and shook his head.

“It’s...stupid,” he replied. Dick snorted.

“It’s not stupid if it’s keeping you up Jaybird. Tell me.” Jason sighed deeply and glanced over at Dick before turning his attention back to the floor.

“Just a dream..about my mother,” he said softly, eyes still fixed on the floor. He let his mind wander back to that memory, one of the few good ones he had of his childhood, not that it was much of a childhood anyway.

“She used to sing to me...when she wasn’t drugged up. And sometimes when she was...she’d just lay there and smile at me, and pet my hair, and just sing. She used to call me her ‘little Jaybird’.” Dick smiled as the man spoke, but he also felt his heart ache; he didn’t know much about Jason’s childhood, only that his life had been unfair and cruel from the moment he had been born. Jason rarely spoke about his childhood, because from what he knew, most of it had been...unpleasant, to say the least.

“My dad coming back, I think, it making all these memories surface. And it just makes me... _angrier._ ” He turned to Dick and looked him in the eye, eyes full of both anger and confusion.

“He left us.” Dick just kissed the man’s jaw and held him in silence for a little while and when Jason made it known he had had enough, pulling away a little, Dick backed off and let him have his space.

“Kaden deserves to know though, don’t you think?” Jason groaned and scrubbed his face with his hands.

“Yeah...for Kaden’s sake, I suppose I could not kill him and drown him in a pool of his own blood,” Jason said sourly, earning a laugh from Dick.

* * * * *

A few more days passed before Jason felt like he was ready to fave his father without beating him black and blue. So Dick arranged a meeting between them, so he, Jason and Kaden would be meeting Willis at a restaurant in uptown Gotham.

“Okay, first of all,” Jason began when they met up “don’t expect me to call you ‘dad’. It’s not happening.” Willis gave a nod.

“I understand,” he replied simply. Jason nodded. He looked back at Kaden, then back to Willis.

“And second, I catch you so much as _talking_ to my son about anything _remotely_ illegal, I will-”

“Okay, calm down Jaybird, I think he gets it,” Dick chuckled, wrapping an arm around his husband’s waist. Jason glared at him, but didn’t comment. The four of them went into the restaurant and Willis began by explaining how he was alive and where he’d been.

Jason found it hard not to leap over the table and kill the man, as he explained how he started another family.

“You have another family?” Jason ground out. Willis flinch a bit at the anger in the man’s tone, but he gave a nod.

“Yes. I started a whole knew life, a whole new family and-”

“Must’ve been fucking nice while I was barely surviving on the streets,” Jason growled. The man cleared his throat and gave a nod.

“I’m sorry, Jason, but I was a very different man back then,” Willis answered. The rest of the evening went on with a lot of tension hanging in the air. When their meal was finished and they were prepared to leave, things hadn’t improved much. They were standing outside the restaurant by Jason’s car, talking.

“I can’t forgive you,” Jason said in an even tone, shaking his head. He wrapped his arms around Dick and Kaden’s shoulders, “but for their sake, I can tolerate you. My husband and my son deserve the chance to know you, and honestly, I’d rather forget you.” Willis bowed his head a bit, but gave a nod regardless.

“I understand. I’m sorry for everything, Jason.”

“I’m not done,” Jason interrupted, glancing ocer at Kaden.

“You’ll get to see Kaden, get to spend time with him on one condition,” He looked over at Kaden then back to his father again and said “if that’s what he wants.” Kaden looked up at his father, and then his would-be-grandfather. He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck, nervously.

“I...I think I’d like that-” Kaden began, holding back a snicker as his dad rolled his eyes.

“I’d...like to think people can change. For the better, y’know? Everyone deserves a second chance.” Outwardly, Jason appeared a little annoyed by his son’s answer, but in all reality, he was so proud; his son turned out to be such a damn good person, despite it all.

“There you have it” Jason said evenly, and Willis gave a nod. He dug in his pocket for a card and handed it to Jason.

“Here. It has my address on it. I’ll be in Gotham for a few more days, but...maybe you could visit, come and meet my family.” Jason sensed the man wanted to say more, call it his family too, but he was grateful when the man refrained. This, was his family. Dick and Kaden, and it was all he needed. He was content with that, and even knowing his father was alive, that he had other family out there, he was happy with what he had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so, um...yeah. This one was hard to write, and it pretty much wrote itself. I was simply a medium for the story to be told. The part about Willis have a new family was especially interesting,m because I hadn't planned that from the start. I had a basic idea for this prompt, but like I said, the story wrote itself. I just used the keyboard. :D
> 
> Also, a new Anonymous prompt has been sent to me via PM on FanFiction. I'll let you guys choose whether or not you want to see it. I've been getting a lot of prompts, and I still have a few to catch up on. x_x
> 
> Prompt: Kaden get's "caught" (I think that one's pretty self-explanatory x3 )


	54. It's a Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Kaden and Lian go out on a date, and Roy and Jason hang out together, just like old times.

Kaden sighed nervously as he paced back and forth in his bedroom. He finally worked up the courage to call Lian and ask her out on a date, and _holy shit, she said yes!_ As it turned out, Roy was planning on dropping by Gotham for a few days to visit with Jason. They hadn’t really hung out together in years. And Lian tagged along for their date. The only other person he’d ever been nervous around was Zachary, and he didn’t really have the courage to ask _him_ out.

He’d been crushing in Lian since he was thirteen and it had taken him three years to work up the courage to ask her on a date. Well, to be completely honest, part of that was the looming threat that Roy would possibly kill him and dump him in a ditch somewhere where no one would find the body. Yeah. Roy was a bit protective of his daughter.

Kaden finally came out of his room and heaved a sigh, raking a hand through his hair, hand brushing against the small pieces of metal in his ear. His papa had tried to convince him to get rid of his earrings and his white streak, but he liked them. He did, however, take the man’s advice and dress a bit nicer than he usually would. His jeans didn’t have any rips in them, and he even wore a nice black t-shirt.

Roy and his daughter were staying at one of his dad’s old safe houses, this one in particular having been fixed up a bit for just such an occasion. As The Arkham Knight, he didn’t have much use for safe houses any more.

“Look at that Jaybird! Baby bird’s all dressed up and ready to ask out Lian,” Dick called, wrapping an arm around Kaden’s shoulders and leading him to the living room. Jason was sitting on the couch watching a UFC match rather intently. But as soon as he caught a glimpse of his son all dressed up, he flashed a devilish grin.

“That’s my boy! You look good!” Jason said with a prideful grin, pushing himself up to his feet. He retreated from the living room and returned a minute later with a black leather jacket, tossing it to Kaden. Kaden caught it and looked over it before looking up at his father with a quirked eyebrow. Dick chuckled in amusement and snatched the jacket from Kaden and putting it on the teen.

“That’s your dad’s favorite jacket. He wore it on our first date,” Dick said smoothly, moving toward the man in questing and pressing a quick kiss to his lips. Jason rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, it was kind of cheesy, taking the circus performer to the carnival. Kind of sounds like a bad joke,” Jason said with a laugh. Dick snorted and shoved the man playfully “oh shut up! It was nice! You _know_ I love the carnival!” Jason grinned and leaned in close, whispering something in Dick’s ear. The man blushed crimson and then Jason began planting kisses all along his neck.

“Ugh, gross!” Kaden commented, shielding his eyes. Dick and Jason chuckled in amusement as their eyes fell on their son. Dick snickered and turned his attention back on his husband.

“Mmm, Jason, do that again,” he said, loud enough to Kaden to hear. Jason snickered and started peppering the man;s neck with kisses.

“Ew, gross! I’m out!” Kaden called, raising his hands in defeat and retreating from the room. Kaden pulled open the front door and gave a wave to his parents.

“I’ll see you guys later. Maybe. Wish me luck,” he called.

“Good luck baby bird!” Dick called after the teen. As Kaden turned to leave, Roy showed up at the apartment.

“Oh hey kid,” Roy said with a smirk, ruffling Kaden’s hair. Kaden grinned when he saw Roy, Roy being one of his favorite people. Well, except now, with the lingering threat of being buried alive over his head.

“Make my little girl happy, you hear? She’s at the apartment waiting for you,” Roy said smoothly. Kaden quirked an eyebrow.

“How did she-you know what, nevermind,” he answered, heading out of the building.

“Dick, Jason, I brought the party!” Roy called, lifting up a twelve pack of beer and a box of buffalo wings. Jason grinned widely and hugged his best friend.

“Roy, it’s about time you got your ass over here to hang! What’s it been, like, ten fucking years you asshole?” Jason asked with a laugh. Roy chuckled in amusement and placed the food and beer down on the table. Dick, for his part, made his way into the bedroom and Roy watched as he went.

“Charity Gala?” Roy asked. Jason nodded and cracked open a beer as UFC came back on the tv.

“Yep. You’re late by the way. Missed the first match,” Jason said smoothly, glancing over at Roy out of the corner of his eye. Dick came out a minute later dressed in a black tuxedo with a red tie.

“Well, I’ll catch you later. I promised Damian I wouldn’t let him deal with this alone. I feel bad for him. These things are like a viper pit.” Dick said with a slight laugh. Roy snorted.

“At least the viper’s wont size you up and gossip about you behind your back,” Roy called, earning a laugh from Dick.

“True enough. Catch you two later! Have fun! Love you Jaybird!” Dick called. Jason waved goodbye to the man.

“Love you too, Dickie! Try not to embarrass yourself!”

“Fuck you!”

“Maybe later!”

* * * * *

Kaden stood in front the door to the apartment Roy and Lian were staying in, fidgeting nervously, face burning up. He took a deep breath and then knocked. Silence. Moments later he could hear the sound of footsteps and the door swung open. Kaden had a hard time not staring because she was beautiful; dressed in a red blouse with a black shirt underneath and dark jeans. Her hair was left flowing down over hair shoulders, and Kaden inevitably ended up staring.

“Kaden?” she asked sweetly, with a smile that made his face burn. He shook his head a bit and smiled back, mentally kicking himself for being an idiot.

“Uh, hey Lian! I’m, uh...here for our date!” Kaden said casually. Lian giggled and retreated into the apartment to grab her purse, also red, naturally. Kaden quirked an eyebrow as a thought came to mind; his papa wore blue a lot, his dad wore red, Roy wore red, and now Lian. Was it some sort of secret vigilante thing to wear your alias’ colors?

“So, where are we going?” Lian asked, closing the door behind her. Kaden thought for a minute and began to question whether a movie was good enough for a date with Lian. The movies was where he’d taken all his past girlfriends and boyfriends, but he didn’t quite feel the same about them as he did Lian.

“Well, I thought maybe we could-” he paused for a moment, his last chance to think of something else, something better. And then it clicked: _You know I love the carnival!_ Kaden smiled and said “maybe we could go to the carnival?” Lian giggled a bit and gave a nod.

“Sure, sounds fun,” she replied. Kaden smiled and led her back outside, then glanced back, grinning like the devil. His dad let him borrow the Lamborghini, provided he brought it back intact. But Kaden had finished driver’s ed a week ago, so what was the worst that could happen?

* * * * *

Jason and Roy had really dug into the buffalo wings and were each on their third beer, cheering for their own fighters. Roy had suggested making a betting game out of it, and he was already down one-hundred dollars.

“C’mon, go, go, go!” Jason cheered, halfway up off the couch. Roy was shaking his head, arm with the beer in hand flinging through the air.

“No, no! The left, the left! Get him!” Roy shouted. The two men were practically hovering over the table, watching intently when...

“Yes!” Jason shouted, throwing his arms in the air. Roy groaned and face palmed, falling back on the couch in defeat. Jason grinned back at Roy before he sat back down.

“Four in a row, dude. Fork it over,” Jason said, holding out his hand. Roy grumbled and dug through his wallet, slapping another hundred dollars into Jason's hand.

“Your luck has to run out sometime,” Roy replied. Jason snorted.

“You really wanna keep going? You’ll end up broke at this rate,” Jason teased.

“Well, I’m kinda drunk, so-”

“Nah, I’m cutting you off,” Jason replied with a laugh. The two of them were quiet for a time when the next match started, Jason took a sip fro his beer and glanced over at Roy.

“So you don’t have any problem with Kaden dating Lian?” he asked. Roy glanced over at Jason and shrugged, sipping his beer. He shrugged his shoulders and shook his head.

“Nah. I know you Jaybird, and I know you raised your boy right. I’m not worried about him hurting my little girl,” Roy said smoothly. Jason chuckled in amusement and the two of them raised their beers to each other.

“To our kids.”

“They turned out great.”

* * * * *

Kaden and Lian spent a good portion of the night going on rides and playing games, the both of them having a blast. Kaden had to make a mental note to thank his papa for the idea, even if he hadn’t realized he’d given it to him. He glanced down at his watch; it was almost eleven., He sighed and looked around for one last ride to go on.

“Hey, how about the Ferris wheel?” he asked. Lian looked toward it, then at him and he gave a shrug and said “can’t go to a carnival without going on a ferris wheel.” Lian smiled at him and grabbed his hand, tugging him along.

“Sure, let’s go!” she said cheerily. Kaden blushed a bit when he looked down at their joined hands, and before they knew it, they were climbing onto the ride. The Ferris Wheel carried them up and then it stopped and Kaden couldn’t help but to think on every cliche romance movie ever made, and chuckled to himself. He glanced over at Lian who was staring at the view of the harbor, the city lights shimmering off of the water. It’d been a great night, a great date, so only one thing remained.

When she glanced back at him, he was leaning toward her, and she flinched back. Kaden, face burning in embarrassment, leaned away from her,

“What’re you doing?” she asked in a calm tone. Kaden’s jaw dropped and then his mouth started opening and closing, trying to find words, but failing miserably. Then her expression lit up in realization.

“Oh...ooooh. Did you think this was a date?” she asked. And Kaden’s expression dropped.

“I...well, yeah,” he admitted, face burning. Lian nodded, flashing him an apologetic smile.

“Well, see, I thought we were just hanging out as friends,” Lian said calmly. Kaden frowned a bit, but his expression quickly softened.

“But..I asked you if you wanted to go out with me” Kaden explained. Lian smiled and shook her head.

“No, you asked if ‘you wanted to hang out with me’” Lian replied. Kaden’s jaw dropped. Oh shit. She misunderstood him, and...

“Aw man,” he groaned, covering his face with his hands, completely and utterly embarrassed.

“I’m such an idiot,” he grumbled to himself. Lian laughed and that didn’t make it any better. When the Ferris Wheel came down and the two of them got off, Kaden wanted to phase through the ground and disappear. But then he felt Lian’s hand on his shoulder so he glanced over in her direction.

“Look, Kaden, I had a great time, and you’re sweet guy, but-” Kaden flinched at the ‘but’. So she wasn’t interested in him at all? But he didn’t say anything and just let her continue “I’m just...you’re not my type. And I kind of have my eye on someone else. I’m sorry. It was my fault, I must have misunderstood you.” Kaden nodded, head hanging a little in disappointment. Him and his damn, dirty habit of mumbling when he was nervous! _Idiot!_

And then she kissed his cheek, and his face burned red again.

“You’ll find the right girl, or guy. You’ll see. But thank you for tonight. I had a great time,” she said sweetly. Kaden couldn’t stay upset for too long though, because tonight was fun.

“Yeah, me too. And can we never talk about this again? Like, ever?” he asked, and Lian laughed at him, patting him on the back. She gave a nod.

“Or we could just leave out the ‘date’ part. Spare your tiny, bruised ego,” she teased.

“Ow, Lian, ow.”

* * * * *

Kaden sighed as he came through the door to the apartment, both Roy and his dad passed out on the couch. He snickered at the sight because frankly it was hilarious; his dad was spread eagle on the couch, one leg and one arm dangling off the couch with a beer bottle still in his hand, and Roy was passed out on top of him with his legs dangling off the arm of the couch, and his face right next to Jason’s crotch. Oh yeah, they’d both gotten hammered.

And at that precise moment, Dick came through the door with his tie undone and his jacket open, looking exhausted.

“Hey champ, how was the date?” Dick asked with a yawn, stretching his arms a bit., Kaden frowned and shook his head.

“Turns out she thought I asked her if I wanted to hang out, instead of go out with her. She wasn’t interested in me anyway,” he said flatly, hanging his head a little.

“Aw, sorry bud. Sounds rough,” Dick replied, patting the teen’s shoulders.

“Not as rough as dad’s morning is going to be,” Kaden said with a grin, hooking a thumb over his shoulder in the man’s direction. Dick looked and a mischievous grin spread across his face as he pulled his phone out of his pocket.

“Oh, that's just perfect!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eh, sorry, this didn't turn out as good as I hoped. And I won't be exploring a relationship between Lian and Kaden, because, as it turns out, I suck at writing female characters. x_x I mean, I knew that beforehand, and I even went over the story a dozen times, trying to improve Lian's character, but meh. I tried my best, and she's not very interesting. always had trouble with female characters. No idea why. And especially the fashion part, lol.


	55. Another Year [nsfw]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason's birthday has finally come and both Dick and Kaden have their own surprised waiting for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dick - 41  
> Jason - 39  
> Kaden - 16
> 
> This one takes place shortly after chapter 3 of "Return to Arkham". It was a self prompts, because I set it up in chapter 3, and somehow it got lost during the writing and didn't make it into the story. x_x So, here it is now. :D

And so the day had finally come; Jason’s birthday. Both Kaden and Dick had been planning a small surprise party for him whether he wanted it or not. Though Dick knew the man _did_ want it, because deep down, he liked being appreciated, he liked the attention, like every other normal human being on earth.

It wouldn’t exactly be a surprise party, because it was nearly impossible to surprise a former Robin given their training, but at the very least, they gathered up some of Jason’s friends at the manor. Namely, Roy, Wally, Artemis, and Barbara. Well, at least they invite the friends they _knew_ Jason had.

Kaden had been saving his money up since March in order to buy his dad’s gift, and Dick said he’d need the apartment later. Kaden didn’t need to know why because he already knew. And on a side not, gross. Now they were just waiting on Jason to show up. Jason had been called away on ‘business’ again, so the Red Hood had to go knock down some doors, but he’d be coming to the manor afterward.

Kaden, Tim, Damian, Roy, Wally, Artemis and Barbara were more or less all lounging around the main room talking, waiting for Jason. Dick hadn’t come, and merely said he had a surprise for Jason back home, to which Kaden shuddered slightly. It was pointless to try and surprise Jason, since he kind of expected it every year, but it was also a nice excuse to get everyone together again.

And right on cue, Jason came through the door in civilian attire; a light brown leather jacket with a black t-shirt underneath it, a pair of dark jeans and black boots. Jason sighed deeply and rake a hand through his hair but his expression seemed to lighten a bit when he saw all his friends gathered in the living room of the manor.

“Happy birthday, Jason!” They all said in unison with smiles on their faces. Jason chuckled in amusement as he walked into the room and was immediately hugged by Wally, or course being the cuddler that he was, then Barbara, and of course Roy, and then Kaden.

“Well, it’s good to see you guys, but you didn’t have to do this,” Jason said smoothly, rubbing the back of his neck. Wally snorted and playfully jabbed Jason in the side with his elbow.

“Didn’t have to do this, he says, as if he doesn’t like it,” Wally said with a smirk. Jason mock frowned at him and slapped him upside the head.

“Are you ever going to grow up?”

“Don’t worry Walls, I’ve been asking Jason that same question for years,” Barbara put in, earning a round of laughs. Alfred and Bruce entered the room moments later with the cake. Jason groaned when he caught sight of it, because he knew immediately who was responsible for it-

“Dick,” Jason said, rolling his eyes. It was a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, and red bat symbols all around it, and two red candles “3” and “9”. A few laughs from his friends and he blew out the candles.

“Indeed, Master Dick thought it might be humorous to decorate the cake in the fashion of your Red Hood persona,” and then Alfred smirked a bit and said “I must say, the look on your face was well worth it.” Jason chuckled a bit and shook his head.

“Gee, thanks Alfred. And thanks for encouraging my husband.” Alfred just smiled and got to cutting the cake. Hey all sat down on the couch and chairs, eating cake while watching some UFC; all in all, it was a simple party and Jason seemed to be enjoying it. He and Roy really got into the matches, and even Wally and Kaden seemed to show some interested. Artemis, Barbara, Tim, and Damian didn’t seem quite as impressed and Bruce wore his usual blank mask. But everyone knew that that was just a mask and that he most certainly enjoyed spending time with his family.

And then came time for the gifts. Everyone was excited and Jason was grinning himself stupid when he opened Barbara’s, who insisted she be first. Jason tore open the package and found inside a brand new, custom built laptop.

“To replace the one you broke when you were drunk and accidental dropped it over the balcony, you remember?” Barbara asked, cocking an eyebrow. Jason snickered in amusement and turned it over, examining it.

“Thanks Barbara, appreciate the thought! I promise not to use this one while I’m drunk on the balcony,” Jason said, earning a few laughs. Barbara waved her hands dismissively.

“Oh trust me, I took that into account when building it. It can handle being stepped on by an elephant. As long as you don’t try any macho bullshit and intentionally try to break it, Roy,” Barbara finished, glancing over at Roy. Roy raised his hands defensively.

“What was that for?” Roy asked with a laugh. Then it was Roy’s turn and Jason was unsurprised to find-

“Really Roy?” Jason quirked an eyebrow as he pulled out a light brown sleeveless hoodie with a red hood and a red bat symbol on it. Roy smirked and gave a shrug.

“It suits you, Jaybird. Besides, it’d go great with that Red Hood persona of yours,” he replied.

“You’re hanging out with Dick too much you geek,” Jason said with a laugh, throwing the box at the man. Roy laughed and swatted it down to the floor and Jason gave a shrug “but thanks.” Then came Wally’s gift.

“Wow, thanks Walls,” Jason said in surprise as he pulled a high-tech looking pair of Jericho 941 hand guns out of a metal box. Jason looked them over, confirming they were outfitted for non-lethal rounds. The guns were jet black with red LED bat symbols on the sides of them and each outfitted with small laser scopes. Wally gave a shrug of his shoulders.

“That’s the advantage of being a member of the Justice League! You wouldn’t believe all the cool toys they make up there in the Watchtower!” Wally said with a grin on his face. Jason grinned at the red head and carefully placed them back in the lock box and set them aside, and got to opening the rest of the gifts. Tim had gotten him the whole Artemis Fowl series. It seemed everyone in their family was reading them, something started first by Alfred. But they were good books!

Damian naturally got him a dagger, but not just any dagger. It was a flame dagger, a replica of Ra’s own dagger. Bruce’s gift was much more thoughtful than Jason had expected; a sketchpad with an assortment of pencils, charcoal and erasers. Then at last, came Kaden’s gift. The teen seemed really excited about it as he handed his father an envelope.

“Okay, let’s see,” Jason muttered to himself as he tore open the envelope. He reached inside and pulled out-

“Holy crap,” Jason said, eyes wide. Kaden was grinning like the devil and now everyone was curious.

“What is it?” Roy asked, leaning over the back of the couch. Jason smiled at his son then looked up at everyone.

“It’s two tickets UFC tickets! Fuck yeah, I’m totally going!” Jason said, hugging the teen. Kaden chuckled a bit and then cleared his throat.

“We uh...we don’t really hang out as much as we used to, so I uh...thought maybe you and I could go,” Kaden offered, rubbing the back of his neck. Jason looked over at Kaden and laughed, ruffling the teen’s hair.

“Sure champ, I’d like that,” Jason replied, earning a few ‘aws’.

“Aw, Kaden, you’re so adorable!” Kaden frowned and crossed his arms over his chest.

“I am not adorable! Men can’t be adorable!” Kaden half-protested but with some amusement in his tone. That earned a few more laughs and Barbara shook her head as she watched both Kaden and Jason talking about UFC. If she hadn’t known any better, she would have sworn Kaden was his father’s clone.

Eventually, Barbara insisted that Jason get home because Dick had a surprise for him waiting there. Kaden opted to stay with their friends for a little while longer (and because he had suspicions about what kind of surprise his papa had for his dad, ew).

* * * * *

When Jason finally got back to the apartment, Dick was nowhere in sight.

“Dick? You here babe?” Jason called, closing the door behind himself and dropped his stuff, carefully, by the couch to look for Dick. He frowned when he looked all throughout the house and couldn’t find him. Then he went to the bedroom, and as soon as he passed through the door-

“You have the right to remain silent,” came a voice, thick with lust from behind him. Jason turned and his breath caught in his throat. Dick pushed the door closed and was dressed in his police uniform. Mostly. The button and the zip of his pants were undone, and the top few buttons of his shirt were open as well, exposing part of his chest.

“Well damn. That’s one hell of a surprise,” Jason muttered with a wicked grin on his face. He moved toward the man and wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him close. One of his fantasies was fucking Dick in his police uniform, but damn was it hotter in reality than in his mind. 

Dick grinned at him and leaned in for a kiss, pressing his lips against Jason’s, slow and chaste at first, then he slid his tongue into the other man’s mouth and Jason moaned softly as he pulled Dick flush against his body. There they stood, kissing, hands exploring, but none of it sexual, more savoring the moment. Then Dick shoved Jason onto the bed and a seductive grin tugged at his lips. Jason chuckled breathlessly, a heated smirk on his own face as he looked up at his husband, eyes full of lust and need.

Then Dick knelt down and pushed Jason’s legs apart, settling between them and stripping off his boots, tossing them aside.

“Happy birthday, Jaybird,” Dick said softly with a wink and a grin before he tugged the zipper of the man’s jeans down, with his teeth and unclasped the button. Jason’s breath hitched in anticipation, his cock hard and throbbing beneath his jeans. And then he felt Dick’s fingers grip him, free him from his boxers, and the next thing he knew, he felt a warm, wet heat around his aching cock.

“Christ Dick,” Jason breathed, head falling back against the bed, hand threading through his hair. Dick glanced up at him, mischief dancing in his eyes as he bobbed his head up and down on the man’s length, tongue swirling around the head. He cupped Jason’s balls and gave them a squeeze, peeling a moan out of the man. He felt Jason’s fingers thread through his hair, felt his hips buck upward ever so slightly.

“Fuck. Christ. Dammit Dick, I’m gonna-” Jason breathed, biting his lip as he thrust his hips up into empty air. Dick pulled off of him and denied him his orgasm, earning a disappointed whine from his husband. He looked up at Dick who wagged his finger and grinned at him.

“Uh uh uh, not yet,” he purred, slowly peeling off his shirt. Jason licked his lips absently and sat up, working Dick’s pant’s open. Dick threw his shirt to the floor and then got to removing Jason’s jacket, tossing it to the floor, his shirt joining it moments later. Jason grinned up at the man as both his hands settled on Dick’s ass. He leaned forward and places a series of kisses on Dick’s stomach, earning little laughs from him. Dick was very ticklish and Jason knew it. But as he got lower, Dick suddenly shoved him down on the bed and stripped Jason of his pants, leaving him nude.

“Well, if you wanted me naked, you could have just asked,” Jason purred. Dick chuckled in amusement and kicked his own pants off, climbing on top of Jason.

“Where’s the fun in that?” he asked softly, leaning down and capturing his lips in a deep, sensual kiss. Their tongues dueled and hands explored every inch of skin they could reach and the Dick pulled away and Jason felt the tip of his penis pressing against Dick’s hole; he was already lubed up.

“Fuck. Already good to go? Y’know how fuckin’ hot that is?” Jason breathed, earning a breathy laugh from Dick. He didn’t answer and instead sunk down on Jason’s cock. The man groaned as he felt Dick around him, head thudding back against the bed. But the biggest surprise came when he heard the clinking of metal, and when he looked, Dick had a pair of hand cuffs and quickly cuffed him to the headboard.

“Ah shit, getting kinky now, hmm?” Jason purred and Dick laughed, leaning down for a kiss. Dick began to move, riding Jason in a slow, torturous pace, hands resting against the man’s chest. Jason groaned and thrust up into him, earning himself a loud moan. Dick picked up the pace, riding Jason faster, harder as the man thrust his hips as much as he could, the both of them moaning and crying out in pleasure.

“Dick...fuck, I’m...getting close!” Jason ground out, cuffs jingling as he tried too pull them free.

“Dick, please, uncuff me! C’mon, god!” Jason whined, desperately needing to hold onto something. Dick grunted as he kept riding Jason and undid the cuffs. In a quick motion, Jason flipped them over while staying inside Dick and pushed him down into the bed, slamming his cock into the man.

Dick moaned out loudly, his moans devolving into pleasured whines as Jason hammered his prostate with every thrust.

“God! Jaybird!” Dick cried out. Jason reached down and enlaced his fingers with Dick’s and in one final, hard thrust, he came deep inside his husband. His hips kept working, kept thrusting until Dick screamed and came hard. Jason huffed, his movements slowly ceasing before he finally pulled out and fell onto the bed beside Dick. Dick’s breath started to level and he stared at Jason with a smile on his face.

“I love you,” Dick murmured. Jason smiled at him and leaned down for a kiss.

“Love you too, Dickie,” he replied, wrapping his arms around him and pulling him closing, ignoring the mess for the moment.

“And Jaybird?”

“Hm?”

“Happy birthday.”


	56. Caught [nsfw]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Prompt:** Kaden gets "caught".

School had finally let out and Kaden couldn’t have been happier. His last class for the day ended up being a free period, and since he had a Saturday detention coming up, he was given an offer; get off the hook in exchange for cleaning up the boy’s locker rooms. Well, that sounded much better tan giving up part of his weekend.

So Kaden made his way to the locker room, which wasn’t too bad off, but what he wasn’t counting on, was someone else being there. On rare occasions, some of the students from the previous P.E. Class would stay behind to shower off, especially after being out doors in the hot sun for over and hour. Well, this was one of those times and Kaden was unfortunate enough (or lucky, depending on how you looked at it) to get a full frontal view of Zachary as he came out of the showers. 

Kaden’s face burned up, flushed red as Zach, completely unaware that he was there just strolled right out of the showers, naked, without a towel, and Kaden’s eyes naturally wandered south. And so did his own blood. So instead of sticking around and embarrassing himself, he decided to take that Saturday detention.

So yeah, Kaden was pretty happy when school let out, considering the image of a very naked Zachary was burnt into his mind and he ended up spending the rest of the day... _adjusting_ himself. That, in terms of his high school social status, was one of his more embarrassing days. Fortunately, few people seemed to take notice, for which he was thankful.

Kaden popped his ear buds into his ears and cranked up his music as he walked down the street, back to the apartment and trying like hell to forget what he saw earlier. Of course it seemed the harder he tried to forget, the more the images leaked back into his mind, and-oh boy. Kaden groaned and scrubbed his face with his hands. But fortunately, sanctuary finally came into sight. Kaden pushed open the door to the building and headed up the stairs for the apartment, searching his pockets for the keys.

He opened the door and pushed it open and found it completely empty, save for Star who was sound asleep in her doggy bed. He looked around the apartment for his parents but didn’t see a trace of them. Curiously, he turned his music off and pulled his ear buds out.

“Dad? Papa?” he called, kicking the door shut with his foot. He hefted his side bag off his shoulder and dropped it beside the couch as he entered the apartment, tucking the ear buds into the pocket of his jacket. He looked around the apartment, but they weren’t here; he had the whole place to himself. And then the gears began to work in his mind, especially considering all the, ahem, pent up energy he’d been walking around with for the last few hours. He glanced around the apartment once more before he retreated to his bedroom, closing his door behind him. He stripped off his jacket and kicked his shoes into the closet before he dropped himself down onto his bed. He bit his lip and squeezed himself through his jeans, giving a slight groan at the contact.

With the images fresh in his mind once again, blood racing to his groin, his pants began to feel tighter, his erection straining against is jeans and he needed release, needed to work it out. The teen hesitated, freezing in place as he listened for anyone, but nothing, still silence throughout the entire apartment. Kaden leaned over the edge of the bed and reached underneath it, pulling out an....adult magazine, from underneath. Kaden smirked to himself as he flipped through the pages, naked men and women all throughout and settled for a centerfold of a rather hot guy pumping himself.

Kaden pushed his jeans down and sighed in relief before slipping his hand beneath the waistband of his boxers, gasping as his fingers came into contact with his heated flesh. He pushed his shirt up, up over his head and then pushed his boxers down to his knees and wrapped his fist around his cock, giving a few slow, measured strokes. He bit his lip, barely suppressing a moan, because damn he was sensitive!

Kaden tossed the magazine aside as images of Zachary filled his mind; that was pretty much all he needed. He’d never even seen Zachary shirtless before, but holy fuck if the guy didn’t live up to his expectations! Kaden pumped himself a little faster, his other hand squeezing his balls as little pants and moans filled his room.

* * * * *

“Why are you so mad at me? What the hell did I do?!” Jason asked in an annoyed tone. Dick snorted and refused to look at him; how could Jason be so damned irresponsible?! But Jason wasn’t going to let it go, because he grabbed Dick by his shoulders and forced him to look at him.

“C’mon Dickie, this isn’t fair! I crashed the bike _one time_ , and I’m not even hurt!” Jason protested. Dick shook his head and clenched his fists, fighting the urge to punch that stubborn asshole.

“That’s not the point Jason! You should know better, you’re 39, not 19, for Christ’s sake! Texting and driving at the same time, you got lucky! You could have been killed you idiot!” Dick snapped angrily. Jason frowned and backed away from Dick; okay, so he took a few seconds to respond to a text from Roy and...sorta ran a red light...and almost got hit...and hit a light pole. Of course, he left the part about almost being hit by a car out.  
“I shouldn’t be surprised really. This is just the kind of stupid shit you’d do,” Dick snorted. Jason groaned and scrubbed his face with his hands. Dick was overreacting! It was a little accident and it was his first in like...ten years!

“C’mon Dick, you’re overreacting! Can’t we just forget it? Please?” Jason asked, giving his husband that sweet smile he knew the man couldn’t resist. Dick glanced over at the man and felt his anger easing.

“You fucking...ugh!” Dick growled, punching his arm, and then pulling him in for a kiss.

“I hate it when you do that,” Dick muttered against his lips. Jason chuckled in amusement and leaned in for another kiss.

“Does this mean that I’m off the hook?” he asked softly. Dick pushed him away and shook his head.

“I’m still mad at you, but...just don’t ever do that again, okay?” Dick asked. Jason gave a nod and placed a hand over his heart.

“I promise! Never again!” Jason replied. Dick rolled his eyes and headed for the apartment, knowing full well it was only a matter of time before his idiot husband did something else stupid. He pushed the door open to the apartment, and Jason slipped past him, glancing down at the sidebag by the couch.

“Huh, looks like Kaden’s home” Jason said casually before flopping down on the couch and heaving a sigh, turning the tv on. Star woke to the sound and sat up in her doggy bed. It took a few seconds, but when she spotted Jason, she got up, tail wagging and hopped up onto the couch and started licking his face.

“Pfft, yes, hello Star, hi! Stop with the kissing!” he said with a laugh as the dog licked his face, tail wagging happily. He gave a huff when the dog settled on top of him, because she was heavy!

“Ugh, you’re not a puppy anymore you brat!” and Dick just laughed at the sight before he retreated down the hall to his son’s room.

“Hey Kade, you home?” Dick called, stopping in front of the teen’s door. He got no answer, so he gave a knock on the door “Kaden?” 

“Y-yeah, I’m here!” he called, followed by a gasp and a moan. Dick’s eyebrow quirked at that, because the teen sounded in pain.

“Are you alright?” he asked, pushing open the door. And that soon turned out to be a mistake.

Kaden’s hips pumped off of the bed as he thrust into his own hand, and bit his lip to suppressed a moan as he came across his chest and stomach, before sinking down onto his bed, his body feeling completely at ease.

“Oh shit,” Dick blurted out. Kaden's head shot up off the pillow and a horrified look spread across his face as he realized what had just happened. Dick said nothing and quickly retreated from the room, closing the door shut behind him, face a little red. Did Kaden...? Was he...? What should he do?! Dick shuffled out to the living room and shook his head, at a loss. So he flopped down onto the couch and tried to ignore it, heaving a sigh.

“Something wrong?” Jason asked, scooting his feet up to give Dick some room. Dick snorted, blushing a little and nodded.

“You could say that,” he replied cryptically. Jason glanced back to Kaden’s room, where Dick had come from, then back to Dick. Then his eyes widened in realization. He sat up and looked right at his husband.

“Did you...catch Kaden-”

“Masturbating? Um...yeah,” Dick said with a nervous chuckle. It wasn’t hard to piece together; the look on Dick’s face was the one he always got when he was embarrassed or saw something he shouldn’t have seen. Kaden got that same look. Jason snorted, trying to suppress a laughter, but it ended up coming out as a snickering laugh. Dick quirked an eyebrow at him and Jason just shook his head, then Dick swatted his leg.

“Aw, c’mon! Don’t laugh! The poor kid is probably embarrassed ebnough as it is! You laugh at him, and he’ll probably seal himself in his room for the rest of his life!” Dick replied, trying to suppress his own laughter. Jason rasied his hands defensively and sighed, snickering once more before he got up off the couch.

“Okay, okay, let me go talk to him!”

“Oh yeah, the King Pervert talking to his son about jacking off. That’ll go well,” Dick said sarcastically. Jason snorted and flipped him off, and Dick’s response was just to blow a kiss at him. So Jason shuffled down the hall to his son’s room and stood there for a few moments with his ear to the door. Silence. So he gave a few hard knocks.

“Hey champ, it’s dad. Can I come in?”

“No.”

“Look, I just want to talk.”

“Can’t you go away and let me die in peace?” Kaden replied. Jason had to fight not to laugh, so he bit his lip and gave another knock.

“C’mon, you can’t hide in there forever!”

“Watch me!”

Jason sighed and picked the lock; it only took about thirty seconds. He pushed the door open and Kaden was curled up in the corner of his bed, face buried in his knees. Jason felt a twinge of guilt, but pushed it aside and moved to sit on the bed beside his son.

“Come over here,” Jason said firmly. Kaden looked up at his dad, noted the lack of any kind of expression and sighed, scooting over to the edge of the bed to sit beside his dad.

“Look, Kaden, it’s nothing to be ashamed of-”

“Please, can we _not_ talk about this? Like, _ever?!_ ” Kaden asked, but Jason ignored him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

“Look, I’ll do you a favor and cut the crap; you’re sixteen, going through puberty, and probably horny as hell literally half the time-”

“Dad, c’mon, this isn’t helping!” Kaden whined, burying his face in his hands.

“I was the same way. No wait, actually, I think I was a bit worse,” Jason said with a frown. Kaden chanced a look at his father and quirked an eyebrow. Kaden caught the look on his son’s face and snorted.

“What, did you think your dad was a fuckin’ saint at your age? God no. You know how many times Dick walked in on me as a teenager? Or for Christ’s sake, Bruce? Ugh,” Jason groaned shaking his head. Kaden snorted a bit followed by a laugh. 

“Point it, it’s normal and you don’t have to be ashamed about it, got me?” Kaden gave a nod, and then Jason slapped the magazine back into his hands.

“Oh and you might wanna throw that out, some of the pages are sticking together,” Jason said before he quickly left the room. He closed the door but he could still hear his son through it.

“Dad! That’s not funny!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...this one was hilarious to do. Especially that last bit. Oh boy. xD The last bit sort of wrote itself, I swear for that last paragraph or so, Jason took over, because that definitely seems like a very Jason way to handle the situation, lol. Almost caught up, couple more prompts to go, but afterward, I'd be open to more. ^^


	57. Too Good To Be True

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Prompt:** Kaden x Zachary
> 
> Zachary asks Kaden out on a date, and the teen can hardly believe it.

Kaden sat at the lunch table, chin resting on his hand as he stared at the object of his affection: Zachary. He was like a love-sick puppy, and it was likely this was just teenage infatuation, but damn, was Zachary hot. Kaden had had crushed before, girlfriends, boyfriends, but Zachary...well, Zachary was the only guy he’d crushed on so hard before, and since Lian wasn’t interested-

“Hey, earth to Kaden!” came a voice and the snap of fingers beside his ear. Kaden flinched, sitting up right as he stared across the table at his best friend, Michael. The ginger quirked an eyebrow at him and Kaden just gave a shrug.

“What?” Kaden asked innocently, glancing over at Zachary again. Michael frowned and poked Kaden with his fork. Kaden flinched again and shot Mike a glare.

“That. That’s what. You’ve been staring at Zachary for, like, five minutes. Just go ask him out already! Jesus,” Mike said with both amusement and annoyance. Kaden grimaced at the idea, glancing back over at Zachary once more before turning his attention back to Mike. He shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest.

“What are you, fuckin’ high? Zach is the captain of the football team!” Kaden said matter-of-factly. Mike too a bite of pizza and shrugged.

“So? What’s your point?” Kaden face palmed and shook his head.

“So? My point it, he’s out of my league! I mean, I know I’m pretty popular, don’t mean to brag, but a popular nerd is still a nerd,” Kaden explained, sipping his soda. He then pointed to the milk on his friend’s tray and said “and besides that, I still hang out with one of the few people who still drinks milk at sixteen.” Mike jabbed Kaden with his fork again, and Kaden just snickered at him.

“Hey, fuck you. I like milk,” Mike snapped back, locking eyes with Kaden as he chugged the rest of it down. Kaden snorted with suppressed laughter and Mike just grinned at him. The rest of lunch went by rather quickly, with Kaden stealing occasional glances at Zachary until the bell rang.

The rest of the day from there was pretty dull, World History easily being the worst as Mrs. Smith droned on for the whole hour and a half, with Kaden barely managing to stay awake through it. English followed, then his free period, and finally the day came to an end with Kaden heading to his locker. Both Mike and Melinda met up with him there. The blonde haired tomboy, dressed in boy’s jeans, sneakers, and a black band t-shirt, punched his shoulder as per her usual greeting.

“So...asked out Zach yet you pussy?” she asked with a smirk. Kaden shot her a glare, then glared over at Mike, who shrugged innocently.

“What? I didn’t say anything!” Mike said, raising his hands defensively. Linda snorted and punched his arm again.

“Please, nobody needs to tell me, what with the way you ogle him all the time,” Melinda teased. Kaden blushed and flipped her off.

“I _do not_ ‘ogle’ him,” Kaden replied, stashing some of his books into his locker. Melinda snorted and shook her head, punching the bridge of her nose.

“Dude, you’re completely hopeless. Just ask him out! What’s the worst that could happen? He says no?” Melinda said dryly. Kaden snorted and hefted his bag over his shoulder and turned to her with a raised eyebrow.

“He’s one of the most popular guys in school. Out of my league!” Kaden reiterated for what felt like the one-hundredth time. Melinda rolled her eyes. She opened her mouth to speak but quickly clamped it shut, eyes wide, and Mike’s too, as Zachary approached, while Kaden was busy digging in his locker.

“Hey Kaden,” came Zachary’s voice. Kaden froze in place, unable to turn around until Melinda subtly nudged his arm. Kaden turned and flashed a smirk, trying to play cool while shifting a bit to hide his growing erection as the images of Zach naked started to fill his mind again.

_Stay cool, stay cool, don’t picture him naked. Fuck._

“Hey Zach, what’s up?” Kaden asked, crossing his arms over his chest. Mike snorted with held back laughter, to which Zachary flashed a quizzical look before turning back to Kaden.

“So Kaden, I was thinking-” Zach began, and Kaden’s heart caught in his throat. _Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, is he going to ask me out? Oh shit. Fuck. Fuck, stay calm. Stay cool._

“We’re friends right? I mean, it’s not like we talk a whole lot,” Zach went on, giving a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders. Kaden just gave a nod and a shrug of his shoulders.

“Yeah sure. I guess we are,” he replied coolly. Zach flashed another smile and Kaden felt his knees starting to melt.

“I was wondering if maybe you’d like to go out with me? Say, Saturday?” he asked, the whole time he seemed so cool and confident. Kaden was silent for a long time as his brain broke. _Holy shit. Is this real?! Did Zachary just ask me out?! Holy fuck. Say something! Speak! You look like a dumbass! Say something you idiot!_

Kaden gave a nod of his head and cleared his throat and tried to remain cool, aloof. He gave a shrug of his shoulders.

“Sure. Saturday sounds good,” he said calmly. Zach chuckled in amusement.

“Playing it cool? I like that. Cool, I’ll pick you up at six?” he asked. Kaden gave a nod.

“Sure, six o’clock on Saturday. Perfect,” he replied. Zachary’s smile widened, and Kaden’s stomach did a backflip.

“Cool, see you then,” Zach replied, giving a wave before heading off down the hallway. Kaden sighed in relief and fell back against the lockers, a huge shit eating grin on his face.

“Oh god, I’m gonna pass out. I can’t believe that just happened,” Kaden muttered, scrubbing his face with his hands. Melinda laughed and Mike just laughed at him.

“Dude, you’re pathetic,” Melinda snickered. Kaden ignored her and pushed himself away from his locker.

“Hey, you both can bite me! I’m going out with Zachary on Saturday!” he said to himself, speed walking out of the building. He remained perfectly calm as he walked off campus, but as soon as he was out of sight of the school, he pumped his fist and cheered. He popped his earbuds in his ears, turned on his music, and the rest of the walk home flew by like nothing as he celebrated in his head. _His crush just asked him out on a date!_

He pushed the door open to his apartment, and pulled the earbuds out, turning off the music. Star greeted him as usual and he just couldn’t stop smiling. Jason, who was sitting on the couch, one leg dangling over the edge with Dick nestled comfortably in his lap reading an Artemis Fowl novel, looked up at his son and quirked an eyebrow. He gently nudged Dick and pointed toward the teen, both of them now focused on Kaden.

“Well, you look happier than a pig in shit. What’s got you so cheery?” Jason asked. Kaden looked up and grinned widely as he dropped his bag beside the arm chair and sank into it with a contented sigh.

“Today mostly sucked, but the most unbelievable thing happed today that makes up for all of it!” Kaden said cheerily. Jason and Dick exchanged looks, then back to Kaden. Dick closed the book and set it on the coffee table, shifting into a sitting position.

“Well? Don’t keep us in the dark. What was it?” he asked amusedly. Kaden sat up, still grinning from ear to ear.

“Zachary asked me out on a date! We’re going out on Saturday!” he said cheerily. Jason and Dick exchanged looks again and then both smiled at the teen.

“That’s great! Zachary, as in football captain Zachary?” Dick asked. Kaden gave a curt nod. Kaden gave a nod, followed by a dreamy sigh as he sunk back into the chair, legs dangling over one of the arms. Jason snorted.

“This the guy you’ve been crushing on for like, a year?”

“Yes. He’s smart, funny, and let’s not forget, hot as hell. I think I died and went to heaven. I never imagined he’d ever ask _me_ out, of all people,” Kaden said with another contented sigh. Jason snorted again and shook his head.

“You’re like a love-sick puppy,” Jason teased and Dick swatted him playfully.

“Aw, leave the kid alone, Jaybird! I think it’s adorable! Besides, as I recall,m a certain someone was pretty smitten with me at the age of sixteen,” Dick replied. Jason blushed a little at the mischievous smirk on Dick’s face.

“No,” Jason said firmly. Kaden, curious, sat up in the chair and watched his parents, paying special attention to his papa.

“We went camping one weekend,” Dick said, and Jason tried to shush him, but Dick shoved him away “and we were talking about our pasts-” Jason shoved him down on the couch and Dick just laughed and flipped them over, pinning him down “and your dad kissed me! Just like that! You should have seen his face, all flushed and red. He’s was adorable!”

“Fuck you,” Jason snapped, face flushed red. Kaden laughed in amusement at their interactions and at his dad’s face.

“That _never_ happened!” Jason protested, pushing Dick off of him. Dick laughed and shook his head, shutting him up by crushing their lips together.

“Ugh, gross,” Kaden complained, shielding his eyes. Dick glanced back at Kaden and laughed.

“Don’t listen to your dad. He was painfully adorable that night when he finally told me he was in love with me.” Jason, face flushed red, crossed his arms over his chest. 

“Guys are _not_ adorable!” both Jason and Kaden said in unison. The three of them looked at each other and then busted into laughter.

* * * * *

Saturday night had come, six o’clock, as promised, and Kaden was nervous as hell. He chose to dress casual, with a simple pair of black studded jeans, black and white converse sneakers, and a black sleeveless hoodie with a white tank top underneath. His papa had suggested he shave that fuzz off his chin, but he declined; he kind of liked it.

“Relax Kaden, I’m sure everything will be fine!” Dick reassured him as he headed to the living room with a bowl of popcorn; Saturdays were their movies nights, the whole family, but they made an exception tonight for Kaden, since he seemed really excited about going out with this guy.

Kaden glanced back at his papa and flashed a nervous smile, fiddling with the chains on his pants. He glanced up at the clock, and at only a minute past six, a knock came at the door. Kaden was tempted to jump at it, but instead played it cool and waited for about ten seconds so he didn’t seem overeager. He hadn’t been this nervous about a date since he asked Lian out. He always felt like a complete klutz and an idiot around the people he liked most. Fortunately, he was in a better state than he’d been in with Lian.

Kaden pulled the door open and planted a cocky smirk on his face for added effect. His face flushed a bit when he saw Zachary on the other side. The teen was wearing a pair of faded jeans and black sneakers with a black band tank top and a dark blue blazer jacket. Frankly, he looked hot. But then, Kaden had gotten a sneak peak underneath those clothes- _no Kaden, mind out of the gutter._

“Hey Kade. Wow, you look nice,” Zach said with a smile tugging at his lips. Kaden blushed a little bit and rubbed the back of his neck nervously before stepping aside and gesturing inside the apartment.

“Zach, hey. You too. Why don’t you come in?” Kaden asked. He glanced over at his father who was giving Zach one of those “I don’t like him” looks.

Jason glanced over at Dick and frowned.

“I don’t like him.” Dick snorted softly and shook his head.

“You said that about his last boyfriend.”

“Yeah, well, I was right. His last boyfriend was a little prick,” Jason protested. Dick snickered at him and swatted him playfully, pushing himself up off of the couch and uging Jason with him.

“C’mon, at least meet the kid before you write him off, hmm? And be nice.”

“Fine. I’ll try,” Jason said dryly, allowing Dick to tug him up off the couch. The two of them approached the two teens and Dick held his hand out to Zachary.

“Hey, so you’re Zach, huh? Dick,” Dick said smoothly with a welcoming smile. Zachary smiled back and shook the man’s hand.

“Yeah, Dick Grayson, right? Bruce Wayne’s son. Everyone knows who you are,” he saidb with a slight laugh. Dick chuckled in amusement then subtly jabbed Jason in the side with his elbow. Jason held his hand out in greeting.

“Jason,” he said smoothly. Zachary gave a nod and shook his hand.

“Nice to meet you,” he replied. He turned to Kaden and flashed another smile.

“So, uh...you ready to go?” he asked. Kaden blushed a little bit and have a nod, then shook his head.

“Wait, let me go, uh, grab my wallet,” Kaden said quickly, retreating to his room. Dick returned to the couch but Jason had other plans. He glanced at Dick over his shoulder, then looked back at Zachary.

“So, Zach,” Jason said smoothly, burying his hands in his pockets as he moved to stand beside the teen. Zachary looked up at him, smile fading slightly at the look on Jason’s face. Jason nodde down the hall toward his son’s room.

“That’s my little boy, you see,” Jason began licking his lips as he leaned in closer to Zach “so, y’know. If you have any ideas about ‘getting lucky’, I would advise you forget them. Because if you hurt my boy,” Jason patted the teen on the shoulder and flashed the brightest smile he could manage “well, I don’t have a problem going back to prison.” Kaden returned moments later and Jason gave the teen a hug.

“Have fun you two” he said evenly before joining his husband back on the couch. Kaden gave a wave as he headed for the door with Zach behind him. He glanced up at the teen and quirked an eyebrow.

“You okay? You look a little...off,” Kaden commented. Zach’s smile returned and he gave a nod.

“Yeah, just fine!”

* * * * *

It was a pretty standard date; they went to the movies and then to the local pizzeria afterward, and from there, they went and got some ice cream. Kaden started to get the sinking feeling that this was just like his date with Lian; a misunderstanding, and that Zachary was just hanging out with a friend. It wasn’t that he wasn’t having fun, on the contrary, the date thus far had been a lot of fun, but he feared that Zachary didn’t like him the way he had hoped.

“This was fun, Kaden. I enjoyed it a lot, you’re a pretty cool guy,” Zach said with a smile on his face, the two teens walking down the dark streets of Gotham, lit by the street lights. The sound of cars and traffic filled the air, and it was a warm night, perfect for a walk. But for Kaden, it was a little depressing; he didn’t feel that spark that he was hoping for and so it seemed he had been friend zoned. 

Kaden blushed a bit and looked in Zach’s direction when he felt the teen’s fingers in his hair. Zach smiled at him, and his knees suddenly felt weak again; _god damn that smile..._

“I like what you’re doing with your hair by the way,” Zach began, and suddenly Kaden felt his hopes shatter against the ground again. Okay, so part of his hoped Zach was going to kiss him, so what?!

“That white streak looks pretty cool,” he finished. Kaden flashed a smile and nodded at the other teen.

“Thanks,” he replied. Zach pulled away, but moments later, Kaden felt his heart racing; he swore he just felt Zach’s fingers brush against his. But surely that had been an accident. He glanced down at his watch; it was almost ten at night which meant they’d been out for four hours. Time really did fly when you were having fun.

Kaden looked up and saw his apartment building come into view. He heaved a sigh and Zach looked over at him with a slightly concerned look.

“Something wrong?” Kaden blushed a bit and shook his head.

“No. Just tired I think. Didn’t sleep well last night,” he lied, flashing a smile. Zach didn’t look like he believed him, but he smiled regardless and shrugged his shoulders. They started up the stairs to Kaden’s apartment and Kaden could feel the disappointment welling up inside him. They came to his door and the teens turned to each other. Zach smiled another one of those knee-melting smiles and raked a hand through his hair.

“I had a lot of fun tonight, Kaden. Maybe we can do it again?” he asked. KAden felt a slight dip in his disappointment and smiled back. He gave a shrug uf his shoulders.

“Sure,” he answered. He grabbed the door handle, but Zach stopped him.

“Oh, one more thing,” he said coolly. Kaden looked back at the teen and flashed a quizzical look. And then his heart started hammering like crazy in his chest because...Zach was kissing him. He felt the teen’s arm snake around his waist as he pressed his lips against Kaden’s. Zach’s lips were soft against his own and Kaden nearly melted into the kiss, his dreams coming true as his eyes fluttered closed.

_shit, Zach is kissing me!_

_What do I do? What do I do? Oh my god!_

_Zach is kissing me! I can’t fuckin’ believe it!_

When the teens pulled apart, both their faces were flushed pink. Kaden fidgeted a bit in place and Zach rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

“I hope that was okay,” he said nervously. And Kaden smirked, grabbing Zach by the collar of his jacket.

“It was fine, but for future reference, if you’re gonna kiss someone, do it right,” he said, smirk turning mischievous as he pulled Zach close and kissed him again. Zach was a little surprised at first, but then he started getting into it, his hands resting on Kaden’s hips. The teen shivered a bit when he felt Zach’s thumb brush against the skin on his thigh. The two of them just stood there, making out, even as the door flew open, the both of them completely oblivious, until-

“Ahem. I guess that means you two had fun?” came Jason’s voice, looking at the two of them with a raised eyebrow. Kaden and Zachary jumped apart, nervous and blushing.

“Um...y-yeah,” Kaden replied nervously. Though Zach looked even more nervous than he did at the sight of the teen's father.

“Um...so Kaden. You free next week?” he asked, glancing back at Jason, whose expression darkened a little. Kaden smiled and gave a nod.

“Sure. How about next Sunday?” he asked. Zach smiled at him and leaned in for a quick kiss before retreating before Jason could kill him.

“Sure, I’ll see you next Sunday.” Kaden watched the teen go before he slid inside the apartment, his fist pumping and letting out a cheer. Dick looked up at him from the couch with a goofy grin on his face.

“I guess that means it went well, huh?”

“Yes! It did! And I think..I think he really likes me! We’re going out again next Sunday, so that’s good, right?”

“Very,” Dick replied. Kaden had a goofy grin plastered across his face as he retreated to his bedroom and Jason sighed, raking a hand through his hair as he flopped down on the couch beside Dick.

“Relax Jaybird, he’s growing up. You knew it was only a matter of time-”

“Yeah, yeah, shut up. Now where did you put my shot gun?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this one is a bit longer than expected. But it was fun to write. Kaden x Zachary was literally all there was to the prompt, but I think this is good. I might explore that relationship further, but who knows. -shrug- Depends, I guess. Would open up some hilarious and fun ideas though. x)


	58. Kidnapped

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Kaden, Zachary, and their class get kidnapped while on a class trip, with Kaden saving Zachary.
> 
> Kaden and his class go on a class trip, but things don't go as planned when some thugs show up with plans to sell them off to slavers.

Zachary kissed Kaden’s neck, his body pressed flush atop the younger teen’s on the couch as his hands slid up Kaden’s shirt, hands feeling along the teen’s soft, warm skin. Kaden gasped, head tilting of its own accord to give Zachary better access. He could feel his boyfriend grinning against his skin.

They’d only been dating for a month, but they just clicked with each other perfectly. Unfortunately for Kaden, his dad was overprotective so he and Zach had barely any time alone with each other. Kaden knew his father meant well, but c’mon! It wasn’t like he was going to sleep with Zachary after just a month! He’d actually lost two of his girlfriends because he refused to sleep with them, and he suspected Jeremy cheated on him for the same reason.

“Zach. Zach, slow down,” Kaden breathed, gently pushing Zach off of him. Zach huffed a bit, but complied, sitting up on the couch and pulling Kaden up with him. Kaden sighed and rajked a hand through his hair, glancing up at Zach who sat watching him patiently.

“Did I do something wrong?” he asked. Kaden shook his head.

“No, it’s just...I didn’t want...I mean-”

“You’re hard, aren’t you?” Zach asked with a smirk. Kaden blushed crimson and Zach chuckled in amusement, grabbed Kaden’s hand and pressed it to his own crotch.

“It’s okay, so am I.” Kaden’s face flushed an even darker shade of red, feeling the size of it through Zach’s pants before he pulled back. 

“Zach,” Kaden began, pinching the bridge of his nose. Zach chuckled in amusement and hugged Kaden.

“Relax, I was just teasing you. If you want to slow down, I’m cool with that,” Zach replied. Kaden flashed the teen a smile and gave a nod.

“Thanks. It’s just...I promised my pa I’d...wait, y’know? And I kind of want to. I know it sounds cheesy-” Zach interrupted by pushing Kaden back down onto the couch and sealing his lips against Kaden’s.

“It’s not cheesy. I mean, I promised my own parents I’d wait, but, uh-” Zach blushed and Kaden laughed.

“How many times?” he asked. Zach frowned and pushed back up into a sitting position.

“Only twice. I promise. The rumors you hear around school are just that.” Kaden snorted and waved his hand dismissively.

“Please, as if I believe school yard rumors. Most of it’s bullshit anyway. You remember my ex girlfriend Melissa?” Kaden asked. Zach nodded.

“Yeah. She went around saying you two had sex on the first date.”

“She’s a slut. She dumped me because I wouldn’t fuck her.” Zachary laughed, shaking his head, then leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss to Kaden’s lips.

“Can you blame her? I mean, look at you,” he said, gesturing to the teen “you’re hot!” Kaden smirked and climbed on top of Zach, pressing him down onto the couch.

“Flattery will get you everywhere,” he said with a smirk, pressing his lips against Zach’s.

“Okay, break it up you two,” came Jason’s voice as he hauled Kaden up off of Zach by the back of his shirt. Kaden frowned and whined in protest as Zach sat up with a slightly horrified look on his face; there was no denying he was afraid of Jason, and Kaden opted not to tell him that he had good reason to.

“Dad, c’mon! We were just kissing!” Kaden complained. Jason snorted and patted Kaden on the back.

“That wasn’t kissing, Kaden, that was tongue fucking.” Kaden groaned and scrubbed his face with his hand. Zach got up off the couch, a nervous smile on his face as he watched Jason warily before pressing a quick kiss to his boyfriend’s jaw.

“I’ll uh...see you tomorrow?” he asked. Kaden smiled and grabbed Zach by the collar of his shirt, pulling him close for a kiss. Jason rolled his eyes and pushed the two of them away from each other.

“Okay, that’s quite enough for one night. Goodbye Zachary,” Jason said firmly. Zach let out a nervous chuckle before he retreated from the apartment. Kaden growled and stalked across the apartment toward his bedroom.

“Jesus dad, you’re a real pain in the ass, y’know that?” Kaden snapped. Jason raised his hands defensively.

“Hey, I’m just looking out for my son! No need to get pissy!” Jason replied, flopping down onto the couch.

“Well, I’m sixteen, dad! I can take care of myself,” Kaden replied, closing the door behind himself. Jason sighed deeply and scrubbed his face with his hands.

“Stop growing up, kid,” he muttered to himself.

* * * * *

School today was going to bore Kaden to death. Fortunately, he had Zach to keep him company. For his English Class, they were to go and see a play. Kaden hated those because they were usually two hours of sheer boredom. He and Zach took seats at the back together; it annoyed Kaden that he had to go to such lengths just to be, even kinda alone with Zach. His father was way too overprotective.

Finally, the bus started going and he put one of his earbuds in. He looked over at Zach and flashed a smile, offering the other one. Zach smiled at him and leaned in to kiss his lips before putting the bud into his ear. He enlaced his fingers with Kaden’s and gave the teen a smile as the music started to play.

Kaden glanced out the window and frowned, seeing a black truck beside them with two motorcycles on either side. Something wasn’t right; they were all garbed in black, but upon closer inspection-

“Oh shit,” Kaden muttered to himself, eyes wide. He saw that one of them had an automatic rifle. One of the motorcycles pulled ahead and stopped in front of the bus, forcing the bus to stop. Then the truck came to a halt and a bunch of heavily armed men with ski masks on stormed the bus and killed the driver. The students all cried in fear as the gun brandishing men made their way onto the bus.

Kaden knew what usually happened in situations like these; the first thing they did, was strip the hostages of all their phones, anything they could use to communicate. So Kaden quickly fished his phone out of his jacket pocket, thankful he wore boots, and shoved the phone into one of his boots.

“Alright, listen up! This is how this works; shut up, and you’ll live. Maybe” one of the men said, the others laughing behind him. One of them threw the bus driver’s corpse out of the bus and started driving the bus again. Kaden made sure to take note of all his surroundings, but one of the men seemed to recognize him.

“Hey, Jim! We hit the jackpot over here!” one of the men called, grabbing Kaden by his hair. Kaden winced in pain as he was hauled out of his seat. Zach grabbed the man by his arm, an angry look on his face, only to receive the butt of a rifle in his face.

“Zach! Let me go you fucking prick!” Kaden hissed, as he man jerked him forward and grabbed him by the back of his jacket.

“This is Wayne’s grand-kid! He’ll fetch a small fortune on his own!” The other men laughed at their good fortune and shoved Kaden into one of the front seats to keep an eye on him.

“Keep that one alive then. We can sell the rest off to slavers,” the driver said with a sick laugh. Kaden glared at him, wishing he could do something, but knowing better. He was out numbers and unarmed, so all he could do was wait. 

Kaden managed to get a look at the place they were being taken to; it was an old warehouse that used to act as one of Black Mask’s, back before he had even been born. It had been abandoned since. Most people tended to avoid it, because this particular warehouse had a history written in blood. Over one hundred people had died here since it had been built. Kaden was hoping that they weren’t going to add to that number.

“Everybody off, now! Don’t try to run away or we’ll fill you up with led,” one of the men shouted, shuffling the teenagers off the bus. He made a point of keeping Kaden for last, and then eventually he was led off the bus and into the warehouse, tossed into a room with his fellow classmates and the two English teachers.

Zachary found him and sat down beside him, enlacing their fingers together and kissing his jaw.

“You okay?” Kaden asked. Zachary gave a nod, wiping the blood away from his nose.

“Yeah, I’m okay. How about you? You’re amazingly calm,” Zachary pointed out with a surprised look. Kaden gave a shrug and dug his phone from his boot.

“Yeah, well...my papa is a cop so,” he said, flashing a grin and giving a shrug. He looked at his phone; no bars. He cursed under his breath and got to his feet.

“Stay here,” he said quietly. Zachary just gave a nod while Kaden walked around the room, holding his phone up, trying to get a signal. He ended up on the other end of the room when one bar flashed on his phone. With a sound of success, he dialed his papa first. No answer. He tried his dad, but only got the voicemail. Tim, Bruce, and Damian were all the same story. His one bar kept flashing; the signal wasn’t strong enough to place a call.

Kaden sighed and raked a hand through his hair, pocketing his phone. He turned around and looked at his classmates, all scattered around the room and looking scared. He wasn’t sure what to do, but he had to do something.

Then, an idea struck him; he still had that comm link tucked away in his backpack, back on the bus. If he could sneak out and get it, he could contact someone for help. It as only to be used in case of an emergency, and this definitely qualified as an emergency.

Kaden looked around the room for a way out, spotting a broken window, high up above. If he could reach that, he could sneak out and get to the bus. Kaden looked around the room again, for something, anything he could use to get out. There were carts, boxes and shelves all around the room and Kaden smirked; he saw an obstacle course. 

Zachary glanced over at him and caught him climbing up one of the shelves.

“Kaden, what’re you doing?!” Zarchary asked in a harsh whisper, drawing the attention of the other students. Kaden pressed his index finger to his lips and shushed them.

“Sssh. I can climb out and get help, but you all have to be quiet,” he whispered. The students gave a nod and Kaden got to climbing the shelf. He jumped from the shelf to a stack of crates, then flipped from there onto another shelf nearby. From there, he flipped forward and grabbed a pipe and swung from that to another stack of crates a short distance below, until finally, he jumped up toward the window, punching the rest of the glass out before climbing out through the window.

“Alright, Wayne wants to talk to the grand kid. Where the fuck is he?” One of the men growled, throwing the door open. He looked around the room but Kaden was nowhere in sight. Then the man spotted the broken window.

“The Wayne kid’s escaped!” He shouted, rushing out of the room and slamming the door shut behind him. Meanwhile, Kaden snuck toward the bus and opened the storage compartment on the side, digging for his bag. He made a sound of success before he dug through it for what looked like a simple MP3 Players, but that was just to disguise it to throw off suspicion. He popped the earbuds in and attached the mic and attempted to contact Damian.

“Damain? C’mon Dames, please for the love of god, come in!” KAden muttered, hearing the sounds of boots nearby. He slid underneath the bus to hide and watched as the boots rushed past him.

“Damian, thank god! My class has been taken hostage, we need help!” Kaden whispered frantically.

“I know. We heard. I’m on my way, just hang on, okay? Remember your training,” Damian answered. Kaden was about to reply when someone grabbed his ankle.

“There you are you little prick!” Kaden gasped and kicked at the man’s hand, but he wouldn’t let go.

“Kaden?! Kaden!” he heard Damian call from the other end, but the communicator slipped off of him as he was dragged out from underneath the bus. The man hauled him up to his feet and jammed a gun against his head; he was lucky that another of them showed up to stop him.

“No! We need to Wayne kid alive you idiot!” the man growled. Kaden took advantage of their distraction, and elbowed the man in the stomach, then flipped him over his head and grabbed his gun. The other man aimed, attempted to shoot, but Kaden was faster; he shout the guy in the foot and the man dropped his gun and shouted in pain, falling over and clutching his wounded foot.

Kaden hefted the gun over his shoulder and kicked the man in the face, knocking him out cold. He looked around to see if anyone else was coming. Not yet, but they would be soon. Kaden rushed back to the building and found the door to the room his classmates were locked in. It was padlocked, but that wasn’t going to stop him. He tired shooting it, but the lock and chains were far too think for that.

“Heh, I’ve been looking for an excuse to do this,” Kaden said to himself with a smirk on his face. He pulled a few lockpicks out of his jacket pockets and attempted to pick the lock. He licked his lips, feeling the tumblers slowly moving into place, but he knew he had to hurry; he could hear the thugs shouting a short distance away.

“Find him! That kid’s gonna fetch us a fortune!” 

Kaden cursed, then finally, the lock clicked free and the chains fell to the ground. He threw the door open and the students’ heads snapped up to him.

“C’mon, let’s go!” He called, pointing to the bus. The students began rushing out of the building and Kaden tossed the gun to one of the teachers, Ms Lockheart. She protested at first, until the thugs burst through the door 0on the other end of the room.

“Stop ‘em!” they shouted.

“Kaden!” he heard Zachary call. Kaden’s heart caught in his chest, because when he turned, on of them had grabbed Zachary and was dragging him back inside.

“Fuck ‘em! We’re going to get paid for at least one of these little fucks!” he heard the thugs shout. Kaden was grabbed by his waist by one of the teachers, trying to drag him to the bus which started up, but Kaden couldn’t leave Zach behind. He wormed his way out of the teacher’s grip and raced back inside the building after Zachary. Moments later, the GCPD showed up, and Batman crashed through the roof and began taking out the thugs.

“Batman!” Kaden called. Batman turned and gave him a glare, but Kaden shook his head; he knew what was being asked of him, but he wasn’t going anywhere without Zachary.

“Someone help!” came Zachary’;s voice from the other side of the compound. Kaden glared and raced off after him.

“Shut up, kid, or I’ll blow your brains out!” the man growled, tightening his arm around Zachary’s throat. Zachary clawed at his arm, struggling for breath, trying to get free, but the man was just too strong for him.

“Let him go!” Kaden called, The man turned around and fired a shot off at Kaden, but Kaden ducked out of the way.

“This is your fault you little prick!” the man growled, throwing Zachary to the ground to pursue Kaden. When eh rounded the corner, the teen was gone.

“Hey, fucknuts,” Kaden called. The man turned around and Kaden swing from a pipe above and kicked the man in the face.

“Next time, do your research asshole. Gotham Regional Gymnastics Champion,” Kaden snapped, spitting on the thug as he lay on the ground. Kaden rushed over to Zachary and knelt down beside him, helping him sit up.

“Zach, are you okay?” he asked worriedly. Zach coughed a bit and moved into a sitting position, staring at Kaden in awe.

“You saved me life,” he said softly. Kaden smirked a bit and gave a shrug.

“Yeah, well. I guess-” but Kaden didn’t get the chance to finish that though. Zachary cupped his cheek and pressed his lips against Kaden’s, slipping his tongue into the other boy’s mouth. Kaden moaned softly into the kiss and wrapped an arm around his boyfriend. He chuckled a bit as he parted and raked a hand through Zach’s hair.

“Now’s not the best time. C’mon, we gotta go before-”

“I’m gonna pump you little pricks full of led,” one of the thugs growled, aiming a gun at the two teens. A gunshot rang through the room and the man fell face first into the concrete. Kaden looked up and saw The Arkham Knight standing there with a gun in hand.

“Picking on a pair of kids? Really? How far Gotham’s scum bags have fallen,” the Knight said in a flat tone, kicking the man and rolling him over on his back. He glanced over at the two teens and shrugged “he’s not dead, if you’re wondering. Electric bullets.” Kaden smiled widely as he helped Zachary to his feet.

“Thank you,” Kaden said, ushering Zachary out of the room. The Knight grabbed Kaden by his arm and waited until Zachary was out of sight before he pulled of his helmet.

“I’m proud of you Kaden. You handled yourself well,” Jason said, flashing him a smile, Kaden grinned and hugged his father.

“Thanks. So you gonna keep babying me?” he asked. Jason sighed and gave a shrug.

“I suppose I can’t anymore. I wish you’d stop growing up though,” he admitted, pulling his helmet back on. Kaden laughed and hugged the man once more.

“You better get going,” the Knight urged and Kaden nodded, followed after the other teens, enlacing his fingers with Zach’s.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a difficult prompt. No idea why. Well, for starters, it just wouldn't end, so the ending is kind of weak. I couldn't find any way else to end it, and I didn't want it going on, and on. Secondly, I wasn't really sure how to write this prompt exactly, so I kind of winged the whole thing. I don't usually do that, but after spending all day on it, I couldn't figure out how to make it any better. x_x
> 
> So, please enjoy, hopefully, because I'm well aware that this isn't my best work. ^_^;


	59. Netflix Night [nsfw]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Prompt:** Kaden and Zachary make the decision to go all the way.
> 
> Kaden is both excited and nervous. Zachary is likewise. And Kaden's parents have no idea. Yet.

Kaden sighed deeply as he flopped down onto the couch and stretched out over it. He’d dressed in his favorite pair of jeans and a black tank top. Very casual, considering his date with Zachary tonight was going to be a Netflix night, likely cuddled up together on the couch. His parents were away on ‘business’ in Bludhaven for the new couple of days, so tonight was his best chance to be alone with Zach. But he was nervous as all hell, because tonight, he planned on taking that next step in their relationship. Sex.

When the knock finally came at the door, Kaden was up on his feet in an instant and pulling open the door. Zach was standing there with a smirk on his face, garbed in a pair of jeans, a black jacket and a white t-shirt, and pulled his hands out from behind his back to reveal a bag of Kaden’s favorite cheddar popcorn. Kaden grinned and happily accepted the bag.

“Dropped by the store on the way over and grabbed a bag, just for tonight,” Zach said, smirk turning into a grin. Kaden chuckled in amusement and grabbed hos boyfriend by the hand, leading him inside the apartment and pressing a quick kiss to his jaw. Zachary followed him inside, hanging his jacket up in the closet before joining Kaden on the couch. He flopped down beside the teen and tugged him to his side.

“What’s the point of a movie night if you don’t cuddle a little, right?” Zach ashed through half lidded eyes as he placed a kiss to Kaden’s head. Kaden made a gagging sound and Zach looked at him quizzically.

“You’re so damn sweet, I think I have a cavity,” Kaden teased. Zach laughed in amusement and place another kiss to his boyfriend’s head while Kaden started the movie. He’d chosen a couple of chick flicks for them to watch together. He had a soft spot for romance movies, something he shared in common with his papa, and which his dad teased them both about all the time. Fortunately, Zach seemed to share his like for them.

By the end of the second movie, Kaden had ended up leaning back against Zach, in his arms, the teen’s lips on his neck. He sighed contentedly as the second film came to an end and tilted his head a bit, baring his neck for his boyfriend. They didn’t speak, just kissed, as Zach’s lips moved down his neck to his shoulder, hands sliding up underneath his shirt.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked softly, one hand idling just above Kaden’s groin. Kaden sighed, eyes closed as he pressed back against Zach. He opened his eyes and tilted his head back, looking up at Zach.

“I’m sure. But not on the couch,” Kaden said with a laugh. Zach chuckled in amusement and pressed a series of kisses on Kaden’s neck, pulling a laugh out of the teen.

“Okay, stop!” He laughed out, pulling away from Zach. Zach watched him with heated eyes, a smile on his face as Kaden tugged him up off the couch and led him to his bedroom. Zach closed the door with his foot then shoved Kaden down oto the bed, pulling his shirt up and off over his head, tossing it to the floor before he lay on top of Kaden and sealed their lips together.

Kaden slipped his tongue into the other teen’s mouth, deepening the kiss, his hands exploring Zach’s back. A little moan escaped his lips as his hands slid over the soft, warm skin, sliding over the muscles of his back. Then a gasp escaped from him when Zach ground their hips together, clothed erections grinding together.

Zach was tugging his shirt off and Kaden sat up as it came off over his head. Zach’s legs were on either side of him as he cupped the younger teen’s face in his hands and kissed him again. They wanted to take things slow, Zachary especially, something about making Kaden’s first time ‘special’. And so far it felt pretty damn amazing.

And then Kaden tensed a bit, feeling Zach’s fingers at the zipper of his jeans. Zach must have sensed this, because he stopped everything and looked Kaden in the eye.

“Kaden? Having second thoughts?” Zach asked carefully. Kaden sighed, raking a hand through his hair, eyes meeting Zach’s. He managed a slight smile and just shook his head.

“No, no. Just-”

“Nervous?”

“Yeah.”

“So am I,” Zach admitted, a splash of pink on his face as he leaned forward and captured Kaden’s lips in a slow, tender kiss. Kaden felt himself relax a bit even as Zachary slowly pulled down the zipper of his jeans and undid the button. The two teens parted, both looking down at what Zach was doing. Zach stood up and Kaden looked up at him with a smile before he reached up and undid Zach’s own pants. Zach pushed his pants down and kicked them off before tugging at Kaden’s. Pants discarded, Zach moved back on top of Kaden and kissed him again, only their boxers separating them as they ground their hips together.

Zach parted from Kaden once again and slowly pushed his boxers down, giving Kaden a smirk. Kaden watched through heated eyes as Zach’s erection sprang free. He swallowed hard because Zach was...well, pretty big. He’s caught a glimpse of it once, from a distance, but seeing it so close...

“You okay?” Zach asked. Kaden looked up and gave a nervous nod, before Zach slowly slid down the teen’s own boxers and joined him back on the bed. Kaden’s heart was hammering in his chest; part of him couldn’t believe they were doing this, and the other part of him was excited, couldn’t wait for it.

Zach gave a smirk as his hand wrapped around Kaden’s cock, pulling a gasp out of the teen as his head tilted back, a moan escaped his lips as Zach pumped him in a loose grip while kissing his neck. Zach kissed his way down Kaden’s body, licking at one of the teen’s nipples and relishing in the shudder he got out of the teen. He continued lower until he came to Kaden’s cock. The younger teen propped himself up on his elbows to watch, Zach flashing him a mischievous look before taking the teen’s hard flesh into his mouth.

Kaden’s head flew back again, moan torn from his throat as Zach’s mouth slid down his cock. He had to have done this before, because fuck was he good at it! Kaden was so scattered, he hadn’t heard the cap of the lube, because the next thing he new, he felt a pressure at his entrance. Kaden looked up again, his eyes meeting Zach’s. Zach took Kaden further down his throat, a distracting as he slipped a lubed finger inside Kaden. 

A gutteral moan erupted from Kaden’s throat, head falling back against the pillow. He felt pain, a very mild pain, but it also felt pretty good. But then pain intensified when he felt a second finger working inside of him. Zach was beside him, petting his hair and kissing his throat.

“I’m sorry. It’ll hurt a bit at first, but I promise it’ll feel better,” Zach cooed in his ear, kissing right below it before he nibbled on the ear lobe “I should have warned you. I’m sorry.”

“s’okay,” was all Kaden could manage, back arching off the bed as he bit his lip to suppress another moan.

“We can stop if you want. If it...hurts too much?”

“No. Keep going,” Kaden muttered. Zach worked his fingers inside Kaden for a little while longer, distracted him by kissing his neck, sucking up marks. He wanted this to be good for Kaden, so he took his time, took things slowly. He didn’t want to hurt him, because he wanted Kaden;s first time to be special. But god damn, was he impatient! He felt Kaden pushing down on his fingers, but when he added a third, he heard a slight whimper from the teen.

“Are you okay?” he asked. Kaden swallowed and gave a nod.

“Just...get in me,” he breath, face flushed red. Zach chuckled in amusement and kissed a trail back down Kaden’s body, taking the teen’s cock back into his mouth.

“Ngh, Zach stop, just-” Zach pulled off of him with a pop, then elnaced his fingers with Kaden’s.

“Patience. If we’re going to do this, we have to do it right, okay? I have to go slow, at my own pace, okay?” Kaden gave a silent nod and took a deep breath, relaxing his body a bit.

“There you go,” Zach said softly, working his fingers inside Kaden, slowly. He watched the teen’s face carefully, could see the pain slowly draining again. Zach withdrew his fingers, a slight smirk on his face at the whimper from Kaden from the loss. He grabbed the condom off the nightstand and ripped it open, sliding it onto his cock and then lubing himself up. He moved back across the bed and moved on top of Kaden, between his legs. He flipped the teen onto his stomach, and positioned himself at his entrance.

“Tell me when you’re ready,” he whispered. The room was silent, save for the sounds of panting, then Kaden finally gave a curt nod and Zach slowly pushed the head of his penis inside Kaden. His eyes snapped up to Kaden’s face, watching his reaction.

“I’m going to push in now,” he whispered, pushing himself in slowly, his hands holding him up, on either side of Kaden’s body as he pushed himself inside. Kaden whimpered and moaned a bit at the feeling, being stretched open as Zach pushed into him. He wanted so badly to just sink onto the teen and just...go, but Zach’s hand on his hip kept him in place. Then suddenly, everything stopped and he could feel Zach pressed flush against his ass.

There they stayed, Zach lifting Kaden up onto his hands and knees, placing gentle kissed on his shoulders and his back, everywhere his lips could touch, while hands hands slid up and down Kaden’s sides. Zach moaned softly at the feeling of being inside him, the feeling of his warm, soft skin, the lean muscle beneath his hands. Kaden was perfect, despite being a virgin, everything about him was perfect.

“Can I move now?” he asked. Kaden had lost his entire English vocabulary and could only manage a nod. Another kiss to Kaden’s back, and Zach pulled out of him a bit, starting with a few, shallow thrusts. When he felt like Kaden was ready for more, he pulled out further and increased the pace, the depth and the force of his thrusts.

Kaden couldn’t stop the pants and moans of pleasure tumbling out of his mouth as Zach’s cock moved inside him, out of him, back inside, the rhythm slow, steady, building something in him, something primal, pleasurable, and fuck he needed more!

“Nngh, Zach...Fuck...harder,” Kaden ground out, bowing his head down as a rather loud moan passed his lips. Kaden felt a hand on his hip and another on his shoulder, could feel Zach driving his cock at a faster, rougher pace inside him. The sounds of Zach’s moans, his cries of pleasure as he moved inside him were like music to his ears. This was easily the most incredible experience of his life.

“God, Kaden. You’re so tight, so warm,” Zach breathed, pace increasing, striking Kaden’s prostate with every thrust. Kaden was near-yelling at this point, fingers digging into the sheets as Zach hammered his prostate on every thrust, his own hips pushing back to meet him. Zach was hammering into him at this point, slamming his cock in before pulling out to the tip and slamming home again. Kaden gripped his own cock and started pumping himself at a frantic pace, feeling a heat building in his stomach, spreading throughout his body.

Zach leaned against Kaden, his thrusting becoming more erratic as he moaned and cried out in pleasure, his hand joining Kaden’s on the teen’s cock.

“Zach, fuck, oh god,” Kaden cried out, feeling his orgasm building as Zach relentlessly pounded into him. He tired to hold back, to make this moment last longer, but he just...

“Angh! Zach,” he cried out, followed by a shouting moan as he came hard, spilling across both their hands, his cum splattering his stomach and the bed below. Zach slammed into him, hand still pumping Kaden’s cock even as he felt the teen’s body weaken beneath him. He kept thrusting, kept pumping, KAden whimpering beneath him, his moans devolving into sobs of pleasure, and then after one, final hard thrust, he came had, filling the condom as he hugged Kaden’s body to him, the both of them collapsing onto the bed, spent and exhausted.

They lay there, breath ragged, chests heaving, basking in the afterglow. Kaden could feel Zach, still buried inside him, could feel him softening. His boyfriend finally pulled out of him and lazily pulled off the condom, tossing it into the wastebin. Then he rolled over on his side and wrapped his arms around KAden and pulled him to his chest.

“So...how was it,” he breathed, a gentle smile on his face. Kaden turned in his arms and pressed a kiss to his lips.

“Fuck...that was...amazing,” Kaden breath, his lips just a hair’s breadth away from Zach’s. Zach chuckled a bit and stole a kiss, but Kaden’s hand threaded into his hair and held him there, deepening the kiss. It was slow, sensual, their lips melting together perfectly. When they pulled apart, Kaden settled into Zach’s arms.

“Should probably clean this up,” Zach said into the teen’s hair. Kaden yawned and shook his head.

“Too tired. In the morning. Got the place for a few days,” he said softly. Zach smiled and parted from the teen, despite his protests and grabbed some tissues to clean them up.

“No, get back in bed,” Kaden whined a little, earning a laugh from Zach. He threw the tissue away and slid back into bed, pulling the covers up over them both and tugging Kaden to his chest.

“Night.”

“G’night.”

* * * * *

Kaden woke to lances of light piercing his window. He grimaced as he turned toward the source, wishing it a nice trip to hell for waking him. He became keenly aware of a pair of arms around him, and a blush spread across his face as he remembered what had happened last night. He had no regrets, last night had been amazing.

He looked up at Zach and found him still sound asleep, a peaceful, happy look on his face. Kaden smiled and slid out of bed, pulling on a pair of black dorm pants before slipping out of his bedroom. When he turned, he blood froze in his veins. His dad and papa were both sitting at the kitchen table, drinking coffee. _Oh fuck._

Kaden took a deep breath, knowing he couldn’t hide in his room forever. But what would be worse than that, would be when Zach came out of his room. If they didn’t know what they;d done last night, they’d certainly figure it out when Zach left. Either way, he was busted. Heaving a sigh, Kaden shuffled out to the kitchen.

“Dad, papa. What’re you guys doing home so early?” he asked with a yawn, stretching his arms a bit and trying to act completely nonchalant. His dad looked up at him and gave him a shrug.

“Dead end. The mission turned out to be a bust. It was a decoy, since they’d already left for Star City. Ollie and Roy’ll handle it,” Jason replied, sipping his coffee. Kaden internally breathed a sigh of relief. They didn’t seem to suspect a thing.

“So, have fun last night, baby bird?” Dick asked with a smirk on his face. Jason seemed much less please, which meant-

“We know, Kaden,” Jason said evenly. Kaden flinched at the look on his father’s face.

“Y-you do?” Kaden asked, Jason and Dick exchanged looks.

“Yeah. I saw Zach in your bed last night Kaden. When I went to check on you,” Jason said, using his disappointed tone that Kaden so hated. And with perfect (not really) timing, Zachary shuffled out of the room in a pair of jeans, bed hair and rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

“Kade, why’re you up so earl-” Zach froze in place when he spotted Kaden’s parents, or more specifically, Jason. And the man’s jaw was working, eyes glaring, Zach got the distinct feeling that he was about to die. Instead, the man sipped his coffee and gestured toward the door.

“You should get dressed and get home. I’m sure your parents are wondering where you are,” Jason said evenly. Zach swallowed hard but didn’t argue, retreating to Kaden’s room. He came back minutes later, fully dressed, said a quick goodbye and left.

“For starters,” Jason said, jaw working as he looked at Kaden, who flinched under his father’s gaze. The man was silent for a while, and it seemed like he wanted to yell, but instead he said “did you use a condom?” Kaden’s face flushed pink, at a loss for words. Partially because he couldn’t believe his father asked that instead of threatening to knee-cap his boyfriend, and mostly because this was embarrassing.

“Yeah, of course,” Kaden said, matter-of-factly. Jason just gave a curt nod. He exchanged a look with Dick, who flashed him his ‘I’ll handle this’ look and Jason nodded, retreating to the bedroom.

“Kaden, your dad and I would’ve preferred you waited-” Dick began.

“I like him. A lot. And even if we don’t...y’know. End up “together”, I don’t regret it,” Kaden said smoothly, shrugging his shoulders. Dick flashed the teen a smile, then got up and kissed his head.

“Your dad’s probably a little more than disappointed, but he’ll get over it.”

“What about you?” Kaden asked. Dick gave a shrug.

“You waited, you believed you were ready, and you used protection. I mean, I’m a little disappointed that you didn’t wait until you were older,” Dick said with a slight frown as he grabbed some eggs out of the fridge, He glanced back at Kaden over his shoulder and finished “but what’s done is done. You’re still my little wing.” Dick winked at him and Kaden flashed a smile.

“So...any chance you could, maybe, convince dad to let Zach come over next week?” Dick let out a bark of laughter and shook his head.

“Oh, baby bird, it’d be better for Zach’s health to wait a bit longer than a week.”


	60. We Are Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanksgiving has come around and Kaden and Dick are both excited to see the whole family. Jason is too, not that he'd admit it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is a thanksgiving prompt I got. It's a little late, but here it is. ^^ Kept forgetting to write it, what with all the stuff going on lately. ~_~ Enjoy ^^

Thanksgiving day had arrived, one of Kaden and Dick’s favorite days of the year. Not because of the food, but because it was one of the few days each year when the entire family came together. Speaking of which, Dick, Jason and Kaden had just arrived at the manor. They were also expecting Barbara and her father to join them; they’d been inviting them every year since before Kaden was born, since they didn’t really have anyone but each other, and they were practically family anyway.

“Ah, Master Dick, Master Jason, Master Kaden, welcome,” Alfred said with a warm smile on his face, answering the door before they even knocked. Kaden smiled and hugged the man, as per the norm. Hugging was something he picked up from Dick, something his dad teased them both about, but secretly, they knew he liked it. They followed Alfred into the living room where Bruce, Tim, and Damian.

“Hey guys! Little D, Timmy,” Dick called with a huge smile on his face as he pulled the two of them into a hug. Damian grunted in annoyed and Tim just laughed, hugging his older brother in return.

“Grayson, I’m twenty-six. Stop calling me-”

“Little D? Nope, never gonna happen,” Dick replied with a laugh, ruffling Damian’s hair. Damian growled and playfully punched Dick in the stomach. Tim wrapped an arm around Damian’s shoulders, goofy grin plastered on his face.

“C’mon Dames, the nicknames are endearing!” Tim argued. Damian merely offered a snort in reply and shoved Tim off of him. Jason laughed at the two of them and shook his head.

“Jesus, it feels like yesterday that you two were literally trying to kill each other,” Jason said in amusement. Bruce stepped between his two sons and shook his head.

“Jason, don’t encourage them. It took years to get them to stop,” Bruce scolded, though his tone betrayed his intentions; you could clearly hear amusement behind his words.

“We weren’t that bad,” Tim said then. Dick snorted.

“Tim, you tried to strangle Damian once,” Dick said flatly.

“Hey, in my defense, he swung a sword at me!”

Another knock came at the door and Alfred, highly amused, left the room to see to it. He returned minutes later with James and Barbara.

“James, Barbara, good to see you!” Dick said cheerily, hugging the two of them. Barbara chuckled in amusement, returning said hug. Gordon seemed less inclined.

“Thanks for inviting us this year, Bruce,” James offered, inclining his head. Bruce just smiled and nodded in return. Alfred passed by the room and gave a slight bow.

“Dinner shall be served in five minutes. If you would please follow me to the dining room,” Alfred said. The group followed after the butler as he led them to a rather large dining room with a huge table with ten chairs around it, already covered in foods from cranberry sauce, biscuits, broccoli and several different cheese sauces, carrots, baked potatoes, bottles of apple cider, as well as desserts, such as apple pie, pumpkin pie, assorted pastries, everything. The only thing that was missing, was the turkey. 

Everyone took their seats, with Bruce at the head of the table, the other end free for Alfred, Barbara and James on one site with Tim and Damian beside them, and Jason, Dick and Kaden on the other. They talked and joked while Alfred finished in the kitchen. They didn’t bother hiding their vigilante work in front of James, because he knew Bruce had been Batman. It was likely he knew Damian had taken up the mantle now, but James had kept the secret and was pretty good at deterring other detectives from ferreting it out without arousing suspicion. It actually all started with him figuring out that Barbara has been Batgirl. Once he figured that out, it was easy enough for him to piece the rest together.

Alfred returned minutes later, wheeling the turkey out on a cart. Jason got up to help him move it to the table where they placed it in the empty spot in the center. Jason grabbed up the carving knife and handed it to Bruce.

“Here. Why don’t you carve this bitch,” Jason said with a grin.

“Language Master Jason. I thought after all these years you might have learned. Alas, you have not,” Alfred said casually, earning a laugh from everyone. Bruce gave a dismissive wave.

“Why don’t you do it this year?” Bruce offered with a smile. Jason gave a shrug and was about to cut into the turkey, when another knock came at the door. Everyone exchanged glances, unsure of who it could be while Alfred went to check it.

“Good evening,” came a very familiar voice. Everyone’s heads shot up toward the final guest to see-

“Talia,” Jason growled, eyes narrowing. Talia was dressed in a dark green blouse and dark pants, much alike what she wore when Kaden had first met her. Talia offered a smile and an incline of her head. Alfred gestured to the last empty chair, but she did not move toward it. Everyone seemed on edge. Save for Bruce and Kaden. Kaden actually smiled and jumped out of his seat to pull hers out.

“C’mon, join us,” Kaden said cheerily. Talia flashed him a smile, but everyone looked at him, confused. Except Damian. Kaden looked around the room, noting their expressions.

“What? I invited her, she’s my mother. Family. She should be here,” Kaden offered, sitting back down in his own chair. Damian gave a shrug.

“Kaden wanted to invite her, I tried to convince her to come for his sake. Honestly, I didn’t believe she would,” he said with a shrug. Bruce smiled at her and gestured to the chair.

“Please Talia. Join us.” Talia smiled and rounded the table, but not before placing a kiss on Bruce’s forehead.

“You age gracefully,” she complimented. Jason made a gagging noise and Dick giggled, elbowing him in the side. Jason carved the turkey and dinner was served. It was light, fun, everyone trading stories, Jokes, food being passed around. Alfred even regaled them with tales from Bruce’s childhood. Bruce could only sit there and shake his head as Alfred recounted his first horse riding lesson.

“And so there I was, covered in mud, sprained ankle, sitting atop Bruce’s gray pony like a sack of old potatoes as young master Bruce escorted led us back to the stables. Needless to say, that was the last time I gave him a riding lesson.” Everyone laughed, including Talia. She seemed likewise caught up in the merriment of it all.

Kaden leaned forward and glanced over at Talia, clearing his throat.

“Hey, Tal-er...” Kaden paused; he knew what he should call her, but it didn’t feel...right. Regardless...

“Erm, mom?” Kaden offered. Everyone went silent when Kaden spoke, even Talia, whose smile faded as she looked down the table at her son. Kaden scratched his chin a bit, a thoughtful look on his face.

“What’s it like? Traveling all over the world, I mean?” Kaden finally asked. Everyone exchanged looks, and then Talia gave him a smile as a thoughtful look spread across her face.

“You see so many things, new things. Beautiful things. Sad, depressing things. Amazing things. The world is so much bigger than we give credit,” she explained, looking at Kaden.

“Perhaps one day, if your father permits it, I’ll show you some of that.” Kaden smiled widely at the idea, and gave his father a pleading look. Jason groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Thanks, Talia. Thanks for that,” he said flatly, earning a few laughs from everyone. Jason glanced over at Kaden, taking a bite of his food. He gave a shrug and replied “keep your grades up, and maybe I’ll let you go with her for Spring Break, but-” he looked over at Talia with a stern look “no...well, y’know. No working.” Jason said carefully. Gordon was the only one who didn’t know who Talia was, and it would be better to keep it that way. Talia gave a curt nod, and dinner resumed normally once more.

After dinner was over, the whole family convened in the living room to watch football. Or they would have, had Jason not convinced them to give UFC a look this year. And so it was, that they tuned into UFC and watched some of the matches. Tim and Damian mostly criticized it. Alfred seemed disinterested as he sat in his favorite chair, sipping tea. Jason and Kaden were both really into it, cheering on their favorite fights. Everyone else more or less just seemed amused by the two, especially Dick.

“I think it’s cute the way you and Kaden are so into it,” Dick commented, kissing Jason’s cheek. Kaden made a gagging noise, and Jason grinned like the devil, pulling Dick in for a deep kiss.

“Ugh, dad, pa, that’s gross,” Kaden whined, shielding his eyes. Barbara and James both laughed in amusement, the former playfully slapping Dick’s arm.

“Don’t traumatize the poor kid!” she teased. Dick chuckled in amusement and winked at her, climbing his way into Jason’s lap and snuggling up against him. The movies came next; after football, or UFC this year, they would watch movies. Kaden always chose a Disney movie; something else he and Dick shared in common was a love for kid’s movies. They were both kids at heart, and it’s part of what made Jason love them both so much.

But eventually, the fun had to come to an end. It was late when the movies finally ended and everyone had to say their goodbyes. Dick and Kaden naturally hugged everyone, as usual.

“Good-bye Uncle Tim. You need to visit more, I like hanging out with you,” Kaden said with a grin. Tim chuckled in amusement and ruffled the teen’s hair.

“Sure. How about next week? I can introduce you to the Titans!” he offered. Kaden grinned like the Cheshire Cat.

“Sweet, that’d be so awesome!”

“Kaden!” Jason called from the car. Kaden glanced back and gave a shrug to his uncle before he retreated to the car, sliding into the backseat.

“I wish we could do this more often,” Kaden lamented. Dick chuckled in amusement and reach back to pet the teen;s hair.

“Don’t worry, Christmas is coming up soon,” he offered, then smiled and added “and for what it’s worth, I do too.” Jason snorted and started the car, rolling his eyes.

“You’re both a couple of saps,” he teased, earning a jab from Dick in his side.

“You like it.” Jason gave a shrug and shook his head.

“I suppose. But hey,” Jason offered, grin turning feral as he looked at Dick with heated eyes.

“How about I show you how much I like saps when we get home,” he purred. 

“Ew,” they both heard from the backseat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, didn't really know how to end this one, so I sort of went generic. Sorry. ^^; 
> 
> On a side note, I think I'm going to do something fun now. I'm opening my little AU to anyone who wants to play in it. :D I'm interested to see what others make of it. I just kindly ask that you don't kill Kaden. He's my baby. D: All my OCs are my children. <3
> 
> EDIT: For some reason, Ao3 axed this part: I'm open to more prompts, so feel free to send them! Also, don't be shy to drop some pre-teenage Kaden prompts. We could use some more baby Kaden, I think/ <3


	61. Tradition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Christmas at Wayne Manor once again, and everyone has been invited, but a very special gift awaits Kaden.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is like, 3 days late, and I apologize. I wanted to do something for Christmas, and I know I'm way behind on my other story, but I sort of hit a rut in my writing. The desire to write just sort of left. So this one took a few days to finally finish, and it's likely not my best work. x)
> 
> Apologies, I'll try and update again soon, hopefully when I get my mojo back :D Prompts, as always, are open for this AU. I hope you enjoy this small, sad story. x)

Ghost clacked away on the keyboard furiously, advising the Arkham Knight, while Oracle assisted Nightwing. It was Christmas Eve, and crime never took a break, not even on Christmas, so alas, neither did they.

“Knight, listen. There’s an underground complex beneath that warehouse. They’ve been using it to smuggle drugs into the city,” Ghost explained, pulling up schematics of the building.

“Gonna use it to get away, are they?” Knight asked amusedly. He cracked his knuckles and walked casually through the warehouse as Ghost instructed, finding the entrance to the complex.

“They’ve probably already gotten away by now-” Ghost explained.

“Probably. But they’ll never use this place again,” Knight replied. He stuck C-4 to the entrance of the underground complex and then booked it out of that building. With a loud explosion, the passageway was collapsed.

“Did you just-”

“Yup.”

“Well then. I uh, guess we’re done,” Ghost said with a laugh.

“Keep it simple, Ghost. Keep it simple. That’s my motto,” Knight replied. He pulled out a grappling hook and shot it across the way, soaring off into the distance. He returned to the clock tower a short five minutes later and Dick arrived shortly after him.

“Hey little wing. You ready to go home?” Nightwing asked. Kaden grinned and gave a nod.

“Yeah, definitely! Tomorrow’s Christmas, I’m so excited!” Kaden said with a goofy grin on his face. He turned to Barbara and gave her a hug.

“I’ll see you tomorrow aunt Barb,” he said to her. Jason and Dikc hugged her then and bid her goodbye.

“See you tomorrow Babs,” Dick said softly. Jason patted her back and grinned.

“Try not to get into too much trouble, eh?” Barbara laughed in amusement.

“Me? Never!” she said in mock offense.

* * * * *

Christmas morning came and Dick, Jason and Kaden made for the manor, as per tradition. This year, they’d chosen to invite all their friends again for a big Christmas Party. Sadly, not everyone could make it. This year, they’d only be joined by Clark, Connor, and the Kents, J’onn, and M’gaan, who hadn’t changed much at all in the last twenty years.

“Dick, Jason, good to see you!” Clark said with a laugh, hugging both of them in an arm each. Dick laughed in amusement, returning the hugm and Jason gave one of his half-hearted one-armed hugs.

“Kaden! Wow, you’ve grown a lot!” Clark said with a grin. Kaden grinned widely and hugged the man who was like an uncle to him.

“It’s good to see you Uncle Clark,” Kaden replied. He glanced over at Connor who still looked like an eighteen year old and gave him a sly grin, He caught sight of his uncle Tim drinking some apple cider out of the corner of his eye and his grin became mischievous.

“So Connor, you and Uncle Tim still bucking the Bronco?” Connor’s face lit up bright red, and Tim coughed, spewing apple cider everywhere.

“Kaden!” Tim squeaked. Jason and Dick laughed and Jason stood beside his son, clapping him on the back.

“That’s my boy!” Jason said with a prideful grin. Everyone laughed and then finally, Bruce entered the room with Alfred in tow.

“I’m glad everyone could make it,” Bruce said with a smile, then Alfred took over, ushering everyone into the dining room for Christmas dinner. The table was covered in all manner of food; Ham, turkey, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, carrots, broccoli, cranberry sauce, biscuits, various drinks from apple cider, to various juices.

“Wow, it looks amazing as always, Alf! How’d you pull it off?” Kaden asked, staring at the table in awe. The old man smiled and ruffled his hair.

“Years of practice Master Kaden.” And so it was that everyone took their seats around the table. Jokes and stories flew back and forth across the table, and even Damian seemed at ease compared to his usual demeanor. Kaden had hoped his mother could join them, but she was unable to attend due to...well, business. Nobody needed to say what that meant, Kaden knew. She did, however, send gifts for both him and Damian.

Dick seemed the happiest of everyone, but then he always adored his family, even when they were behind assholes, like Jason for instance, all due respect. Dinner ended on a high note and none seemed more excited for the gift giving than Dick did.

“Alright, time to exchange gifts!” Dick said cheerily, ushering everyone into the main room. Everyone gathered around the tree, which was rather large, standing at roughly twelve feet tall. Alfred even got the old fire place working just for the celebration. And so the gift giving began, the Kents opening their gifts first.

Dick had gotten all of them Batman t-shirts, both in sincerity, and as a joke. Jason would often joke that even to this day, Dick was still a huge nerd. Clark and Connor both found it amusing. J’onn and M’gann were next, and they absolutely loved their gifts. 

“It is...beautiful,” J’onn said in his usual even tone, and M’gann squealed a bit when she unwrapped hers. Jason grinned and gave a shrug; he’d painted both of them a picture of Mars, giving the paintings his own personal touch, elaborating on the stars, space dust, and so forth, and apparently it paid off; they both loved their paintings.

“Jason’s taken up his painting again, which is good. He’s always been such an artist,” Dick said with a smile, kissing the man’s cheek.

“Gross,” Kaden murmured. Damian snorted and gave a nod in agreement, earning a laugh from everyone in the room. The gift giving went on for a while, because Bruce, in his old age, seemed to enjoy spending money on everyone on Christmas, and he especially seemed to enjoy spoiling his sons a little, and Kaden especially. 

“Woah, no way, you got me a car?!” Kaden asked in awe, as he unwrapped a set of car keys. Bruce grinned from ear to ear and Jason just shook his head.

“You’re getting soft old man.”

“Yes, I’m an old man. With a grandson. It’s my duty to spoil him,” Bruce said, matter-of-factly with a smirk on his face. And right on cue, Dick opened a present from Bruce to him and Jason.

“Jaybird, he’s giving us that house in Sydney!” Dick said, mouth dropped open. Jason looked back at Dick, then back to Bruce who was smiling smugly.

“Bruce...you’re awesome,” Jason said with a grin. Bruce just gave a nod in reply. Now it was Kaden’s turn again, and it was the last of the presents, from his dad, his papa, Damian, Tim and Bruce.

“Oh wow, what could this be? It’s kinda heavy,” Kaden said smoothly, looking around the room as his papa ushered everyone to gather around to see it. Kaden began ripping open the paper, and inside he found a lockbox. Was this is gear? He held his breath and grabbed the key on top of it and turned the lock. He gasped at what he saw inside.

A blood red outfit with black gloves, boots and a black cape with a black utility belt, sat inside the box. On top of it was a black domino mask, a black escrima stick with red LED lights on it, a stun gun, and a collapsible bo staff. But what really got his attention, was the yellow “R” on the chest.

Kaden pulled the uniform out of the box, jaw dropping as he looked around at his parents, his uncle, his brother, and his grandfather. They were all grinning at him and for once, Kaden was utterly speechless.

“I thought it’d make a nice Christmas gift,” Jason said smoothly, running a hand through his hair “it’s my old Robin uniform, a bit updated of course.”

“Your dad and I have been talking, and we got to talking with Damian,” Dick said casually, wrapping an arm around Jason’s waist. Damian spoke up next.

“Batman has always had a Robin-”

“And you still need training,” Tim added in.

“And it’s sort of tradition. Me, your papa, Tim, and even Damian have all been Robin. So what do you say? Take up the mantle of Robin for a while?” Jason asked with a smirk. Kaden smiled from ear to ear.

“Are you kidding?! This is...amazing! I never dreamed I could be Robin, Boy Wonder!” Kaden cheered, jumping up and hugging his parents. He looked back at Damian who had a smug grin on his face.

“So, you’re totally okay with having me following you around?” Damian gave a shrug.

“As long as you don’t slow me down and pull your own weight,” Damian replied, Kaden frowned and flipped him off.

“Yeah, not gonna happen,” he turned to his father then, and as if reading his mind, Jason sighed.

“Look. You’re sixteen, you’ve been out in the field before, and as much as I’d rather lock you in the house and keep you safe from Gotham City, I can’t,” he said flatly. He ran a hand through his hair and shrugged “so as long as I know you’re safe and with someone who isn’t a complete dunce-”

“Fuck you Todd,”

“Then I guess it’s all good.” Kaden grinned from ear to ear and hugged his father.

“Thanks dad. I’ll make you proud.”

“You already do, kid,” Jason replied, earning a few ‘awws’ from everyone in the room.

“Okay, okay, enough with the hugs. You’re making us look like bigger saps than we really are,” Jason joked. Dick laughed and pressed a kiss to his husband’s jaw.

“Right. You’re a bad ass, Jay,” Dick said with a smile. Jason snorted.

“Damn right I am!”

“With a teddy bear center.”

“Bite me.”

“Maybe later.”

* * * * *

Batman landed on the ledge of a building with perfect grace, staring out at the city below. Patrol was relatively uneventful, nothing more than a simple jewelry store heist so far tonight. Until now, anyway. Harley Quinn and her Jokerz were breaking into a bank when he arrived, likely just for the sake of causing trouble than to actually rob it.

“Bank robbery. Harley Quinn and her Jokerz. This shouldn’t take too long,” Batman said in a low tone. He glanced back, briefly before looking down at the thugs below.

“Robin, are you ready?” he asked. Robin dropped down on top of the gargoyle beside him and gave him a toothy grin.

“Damn straight!” Batman grinned and stood to full height, flourishing his cape before diving down at the thugs below.

“This is the best day of my life!” Robin called as the duo crashed down ontop of the thugs below.


	62. Family Vacation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick, Jason, and Kaden go away to Sydney, Australia for Spring Break
> 
> Dick - 42  
> Jason - 39  
> Kaden - 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Prompt:** Family Vacation
> 
> WARNING: Super Fluffy. It started out as a simple family vacation prompt, and then turned into this. I think I secretly love fluff as much as I love angst and drama. ~_~

Kaden sighed contentedly as he stretched out on the warm sand of the beach in naught but his black swimming trunks, hands behind his head and eyes closed, completely at ease. The teen was working on his tan, not that he had much choice. His parents were at 'it' again in the house, and he could hear them all throughout the place (gross) and he didn't want any part of it. So, it was either stay inside and deal with it, or leave; naturally he chose the latter, which was still pretty damn good.

He was on Spring Break and his parents decided they'd take the week and spend it at their home in Sydney, Australia, gifted to them by Bruce just a few months ago for Christmas. His parents told him about this place, the house where they spent their honeymoon, an entire month, just the two of them, probably being gross.

Kaden yawned deeply, stretching his arms and legs out a bit. The combination of the cool air, the warm sun, and how relaxed he felt was making him drowsy. That was until he heard footsteps behind him. He cracked one eye open and saw his dad lay down beside him, placing his hands behind his head and stretching out in the sand, wearing on a pair of blood red swimming trunks. Jason let out a contented sigh as he glanced over at Kaden, a smile on his face.

“Mind if I join you?” he asked. Kaden smirked a bit and gave a slight shrug of his shoulders, more or less his non-verbal version of a 'yes'. Jason let out another sigh as he relaxed beside Kaden, and there the two of the lay, silently, soaking up the sun's rays. Kaden cracked open an eye again and glanced over at his dad.

“Where's papa?” Kaden asked. Jason cracked open an eye and smirked at the teen.

“Sleeping. You know Dick; a few good rounds of sex and he's out like a light,” Jason replied with a humorous edge, because he _knew_ talking about sex with his husband, or at all, would get under the teen's skin. Kaden pulled a disgusted face and mock gagged as he rolled over onto his stomach, chin resting on his arms.

“Ugh! God, dad, that's just gross! I don't want to know about your sex life! Hell, I don't even wanna _talk_ about sex with you! Just, ew,” Kaden whined, burying his face in his arms. Jason laughed and amusement and closed his eyes again, letting out another contented sigh.

“Please, Kaden. Some day, you'll have kids of your own, and they'll be just as grossed out about you having sex,” Jason answered, to which Kaden snorted in amusement. He tired to imagine himself having kids, and he shuddered a bit at the thought.

“Pass. In fact, I _might_ just go full on gay to avoid the possibility,” the teen joked, to which Jason busted out laughing. He rolled over on his side, propping his head up in his hand as he nudged the teen's side with his finger.

“Aw c'mon, really? Do children frighten you that bad?” Jason teased. He re-examined his own question and then snorted. “On second thought, you may be on to something there. You were a little terror.” Kaden looked over at his dad and mock pouted.

“Aw, surely I wasn't _that_ bad,” Kaden replied with a smirk tugging at his lips. Jason let out a bark of laughter and shook his head, rolling back over on his back, hands behind his head.

“You were a little nightmare as an infant; waking up at _all_ hours of the night, screaming your head off. And as a kid, you were a little menace!” Jason said with a laugh. Kaden snorted in amusement and Jason cracked open an eye again, glancing at the teen our of the corner of his eye. “Remember you broke that chandelier in the manor, playing acrobat?” Kaden sat up then and laughed, punching his father playfully in the shoulder.

“Hey, Alfred told me all about that chandelier! You, papa, Uncle Tim, _and_ Damian all broke it too!” Kaden replied. Jason snickered as the memory of that dam chandelier came back to him. Dick had taught him some trapeze moves, and since Bruce didn't have a trapeze, a chandelier seemed like a good idea at the time. He'd been amused to learn that Dick had broken it too. And Tim. _And_ Damian. And after Kaden broke it, Alfred had it discarded and never bothered to replace it. It was probably for the best, as it seemed likely to keep being broken by every future generation to pass through that manor.

Kaden stared pensively out over the ocean, curling up into a ball and wrapping his arms around his legs. The tide was starting to come in, the waves lapping at his feet before retreating out to sea. His stomach growled then, pretty loudly too, and he blushed crimson, glancing over at his dad to see if he'd heard. Sure enough, the man laughed.

“Hungry, champ?” he asked. Kaden just gave a nod and Jason groaned as he slowly pushed himself up to his feet. He helped Kaden up and then hooked a thumb over his shoulder toward the house.

“Let's get Dickie-bird up and then go grab a bite to eat in town, eh?” he suggested. Kaden smiled at the idea and gave a nod.

“Sure, sounds great. Last one there has to give Star her next bath!” He shouted back, racing for the house. Jason let out a bark of laughter and chased after the teen.

“Hey, you little cheat!” he shouted after him, giving chase.

* ~ * ~ * ~ *~*

It was Saturday night which was their movie night which was sacred to them. They'd been having movie nights every Saturday night for the last ten years and even on vacation, that hadn't changed. After a nice, late dinner at a local restaurant, the trio retreated to their house once more for their movie night, and the last night of their vacation. Kaden got to pick the movie this time, so he picked something exciting for their last day of vacation. 

The living room was very modern, and very comfortable. With a black leather couch and a polished, white coffee table in front of it. They added a black leather bean bag chair beside the couch for Kaden (because he loved them and argued that every decent living room needs one), and a 60-inch Plasma television mounted on the wall with a elegant black entertainment center around it and home surround sound speakers.

Dick shuffled in from the kitchen with soda and popcorn for the movie and Kaden was finishing with setting up the entertainment center. Jason flopped down over the couch, arms stretched out over the back of it and feet propped up on the coffee table. Kaden popped the Blu-ray disc for the movie “Avatar” into the Blu-ray player and then scurried across the living room and flopping down onto the couch beside his father. Dick tsked and smacked Jason's feet off of the coffee table, placing down their snacks and Jason flipped him off. Dick snorted in amusement and settled into the couch beside Kaden.

“Maybe later,” Dick purred, giving a wink and earning a gagging sound from Kaden. Dick laughed and playfully jabbed the teen in the side with his elbow. Kaden snickered and shoved him back.

“Alright children, settle down,” Jason teased, and Dick and Kaden both stuck out their tongues at him. Kaden sighed contentedly and grabbed up the remote and started the movie. And of course, as per the norm, he and Dick cuddled up against one another. Kaden would never admit it, but, just like his papa, he loved to cuddle. Kaden had scooted up beside Dick, and Dick had wrapped an arm around the teen's shoulders. Jason had chosen not to take part of this sickeningly sweet scene, even if he rather enjoyed it on the inside. Instead, he gave a snort of amusement. Both Dick and Kaden looked up at him and smiled.

“What?” they asked in unison. The exchanged a glance and then laughed and even Jason couldn't help but to grin and shake his head in amusement. As Kaden leaned forward to grab the bowl of popcorn and pour a glass of soda, Dick waved Jason over.

“C'mon, scoot over here and join us! I _know_ you like to cuddle, Jason Todd,” Dick said with a soft smile. Jason snorted and rolled his eyes, merely giving a dismissive hand wave.

“You're both a couple of saps,” Jason teased. Kaden tossed a piece of popcorn into his mouth and flashed his dad a smile.

“Secret's out dad. Papa told me all about your secret love of cuddling,” Kaden teased back. He popped another piece of popcorn in his mouth then took a sip of his soda before leaning back against the couch to get comfortable again. Jason snorted and waved the teen off, grinning from ear to ear.

“Your papa is delusional. He has no idea what he's talking about,” Jason replied and Dick let out a laugh and shook his head. He looked over at Kaden and gently ruffled the boy's hair before he turned his attention back to his husband.

“Because you totally don't cuddle in your sleep,” Dick answered. Jason raised his hands defensively, a sly smirk on his face as he reached for the popcorn, grabbing the bowl and tossing a piece into the air and catching it in his mouth. With the sound of a crunch as he chewed, he flashed Dick a smug look, and a sly smirk.

“I already told you; wasn't me. You must be cheating on me.” Dick snorted in amusement, holding back a laugh as he yanked the bowl out of Jason's hands and popped a handful of popcorn into his mouth before placing it back down onto the coffee table.

“Yeah,” he said, mouth full. He swallowed, then poured a glass of soda and said “cheating on you with a man that just so happens to look _exactly_ like you.” Jason put a finger to his lips and shushed him, pointing to the television.

“Movie's starting.”

As the movie went on and the snacks and soda started to dwindle, Dick had silently noted Jason scooting closer and closer to it. As well as Kaden slowly starting to fade from the world of the waking. The poor kid was tired and probably wouldn't make it to the end of the movie. By the last thirty minutes, Dick glanced down and found Kaden fast asleep, leaning against his side, head resting on his shoulder. And on his other side, Jason sat pressed against his side with his arm around both him and his son, all three of them snuggled together on the couch.

“Don't like to cuddle, hmm?” Dick whispered with a soft smile, trying not to wake Kaden. Jason glanced over at him and arched an elegant eyebrow. He smiled and leaned in for a kiss, pressing his lips against the soft lips of his husband in a sweet, chaste kiss. Jason pulled back, smiling at the man before glancing over at Kaden.

“How long's he been out?” he asked. Dick glanced over at the teen and gently patted the teen's hair.

“About ten minutes,” he answered. He and Jason watched the rest of the movie to the end, and by the time it was over, it was almost eleven pm. Jason got up and stretched his arms and legs, giving a groan as his knees popped after having sat down for nearly three hours straight. He turned to Dick, who seemed to be afraid to get up, not wanting to wake Kaden.

“Little help, Jaybird? Please?” Dick asked a little desperately, but with a smile on his face. Jason snickered in amusement and made to leave the room. Dick's smile faded as he waved Jason back over. “Jay, c'mon! Don't leave me here!” Jason grinned and returned, kneeling down beside the couch. He pressed a kiss to Kaden's forehead and brushed a lock of hair out of the teen;s eyes.

“He's probably gonna wake up when we move him, you know,” he pointed out. Dick sighed and gave a shrug.

“Well, we've gotta move him. I can't feel my ass. Or my arm,” Dick replied with a slight laugh. Jason chuckled under his breath before he slowly moved his arms underneath Kaden and lifted him up into his arms. The teen squirmed a little but didn't wake and as Jason lifted him, Dick got off the couch with a groan, his back and knees popping as he stretched, giving a yawn and a contented sigh.

Jason took Kaden to bed and then rejoined his husband in their bedroom, stripping off his clothing. He gave another stretch of his back and when it popped he gave a contented sigh before he slipped into bed beside Dick.

“Kid didn't wake at all. He's out like a light,” Jason replied. Dick leaned over and pressed a kiss to the man's jaw.

“Yeah, I noticed. He felt like a led weight against my side,” Dick joked. Jason smiled and cupped the man's cheek, pulling him in for a sweet, tender kiss.

“Y'know, this vacation has got me thinking. We don't do this kind of thing enough. We should do it again,” Jason said smoothly.

“Uh oh. Getting soft on me, Jaybird?” Dick teased, earning a jab in his side with Jason's elbow. Dick mock pouted in rubbed his side, flashing Jason the puppy eyes.

“Seriously though. How about we take a week or two in the summer and come back?”

“Sounds great, Jaybird. We can talk about it more in the morning.” Dick said with a yawn, cuddling up against Jason's side, resting his head on the man's chest. “I'm tired, and we got a plane to catch tomorrow. Good night.”  
“Goodnight.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Couldn't figure out how to end this bitch


	63. Robin, Boy Wonder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaden juggles school, friends, boyfriend, gymnastics, AND being Robin. It's not as easy as he had originally thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt by kate1zena: A look at Kaden's life as Robin.
> 
> Sorry it took so long. January is like a month long Monday for me. More prompts to come. Soon. Maybe after the month of Monday is over. x)

“Robin, go around back and cut off their escape,” Batman ordered as he grappled to the building across the way. Robin gave a curt nod and raced across the roof before grappling around and racing toward the back. Batman crashed through the roof, terrifying the thugs inside. They scattered, guns firing at him while the ‘leaders’ made a break for it. Unfortunately for them, Robin was waiting.

“Aw, going so soon? But we just got here! You’re such poor hosts!” Robin grinned as one of them pulled out a gun. He quickly drew a wingding and threw it, knocking the gun out of his hand, then the others moved in to take him down. Robin laughed as he leapt over their heads, using one of them as a stepping stone. Spinning in the air, he threw a bolas, nailing one of the men as it wrapped around his legs and he fell, taking another with him. The third tried to make a break for it, but Robin drew an escrima stick and threw it, nailing him in the back of the head.

He was joined by Batman moments later who gave an approving nod toward the teen.

“Good job, kid,” he complimented, giving the teen a smirk before going about gathering the men and tying them up. He turned to Robin, giving the teen a pat on the back and then leading him out of the building “the GCPD will be here shortly. Let’s go, we’ve got a patrol to finish.” He typed a few commands into his gauntlet and the batmobile pulled up beside them.

“Awesome, maybe we’ll find some more bad guys to terrorize,” Robin said gleefully, hopping into the batmobile beside Batman. Batman gave a smirk before pulling away from the building at full speed.

* * * * *

Kaden sighed deeply, tiredly, as he popped through the zeta tube from the batcave and climbed back up into his apartment building, slipping in through his bedroom window. He yawned and stretched as he peeled off his mask, half temped to sleep in costume. He peeled himself out of it and pulled on his dorm pants and then flopping into bed, heaving another sigh. A knock came at his door, and he just grunted in response. His dad popped his head into the room, still garbed in his Arkham Knight gear, sans the helmet.

“Heh, tired?” the man asked with a smirk. Kaden looked up at him and grunted in response.

“Late night. Two drug busts,” he muttered, followed by another yawn.

“Sounds exciting. Well, good night kiddo,” Jason replied, closing the door behind him. He made his way back to the bedroom, stripping out of his gear and stashing it away safely in the closet. Moments later, Dick came into and wrapped his arms around him from behind.

“Hey beautiful,” Dick purred, kissing the man's neck. Jason snorted in response and gently shoved the man off him.

“Not tonight Dickie-bird, I’m exhausted,” Jason replied, flopping down onto the bed. Dick chuckled in amusement and began stripping down for bed, purposely giving Jason a perfect view of his ass. Jason groaned and scrubbed his face with his hands.

“You’re not playing fair, Dick. I ever tell you, you have the nicest ass in Gotham?” Jason purred, propping himself up on an elbow. Dick looked back at him over his shoulder as he pulled on a pair of pajama bottoms, joining his husband in bed.

“May have mentioned it a few times,” he purred, pressing a kiss to Jason’s lips. He sighed and laid back, wrapping his arms around Jason and scooting closer.

“So how’s baby bird doing? Been three weeks. Have any regrets?” Dick asked. Jason heaved a sigh and wrapped an arm around Dick, kissing his head.

“Every time that kid goes out the window, I have regrets,” Jason muttered. He wasn’t going to tell Kaden to stop being Robin, after all, he’s the one who gave him the costume. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t worry. Though Damian would protect him, Gotham was still dangerous. He felt better when Kaden opted to play that part of Ghost instead, however. At least he was safe in the tower with Barbara.

“I know,” was all Dick said, nuzzling his face against the man’s neck.

“Night Dickie-bird.”

* * * * *

Morning came and Kaden was still dead asleep on his bed alarm clock blaring. Jason pushed the door to his room over and shook the teen awake.

“Kaden, wake up! You’re gonna be late for school, champ,” Jason called. Kaden grunted and buried his face in the pillow. Jason snorted and tore the blanket off the teen, then yanked the pillow out from under his head.

“C’mon kid, time to get up!”

“Just five more minutes,” Kaden groaned, rolling over. Jason rolled his eyes and retreated from the room, returning moments later with a can of frozen juice. He placed it against Kaden’s bare back, and the teen yelped at the contact, jumping up in his bed. Jason snickered as Kaden glared at him. The teen grumbled under his breath and finally pulled himself out of bed.

“Rise and shine, princess. You gotta be out the door in ten minutes,” Jason said to him, slipping back out into the kitchen. Kaden grunted, pulling on a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt, then kicking his shoes on and dragging himself out to the kitchen.

“Where’s papa?” Kaden muttered, flopping down at the kitchen table. Jason poured his coffee and then moved over to the toaster, grabbing a couple of pop tarts and setting them down in front of Kaden.

“Had to go to work, kiddo. You woke up really late this morning,” he answered, moving into the living room and reclining on the couch. Kaden yawned and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, munching away at his pop tarts in silence. Frankly, he was glad his father hadn’t tried to cook. Last time he’d tried that, that man nearly set the entire counter on fire.

“Sure you can handle being boy wonder?” Jason suddenly called from the living room. Kaden looked up finishing his breakfast and nodding eagerly.

“Yeah, I can handle it!” he replied. Jason gave him a smirk and a nod in response.

“Well, if you say so. Just remember out agreement-”

“I know, I know. Keep my grades up, or no patrol,” Kaden replied, rolling his eyes. He hopped up and grabbed up his bag and made for the door “see you later. Love you dad.”

“Love you too champ. Have a good day,” Jason called back.

* * * * *

School couldn’t come to an end soon enough. Kaden had nearly fallen asleep in class twice today, and his friends were pestering him about hanging out. It was true, he’d been hanging out with them less since he became Robin, but he was protecting the city! Though frankly, he did kind of miss them.

But that wasn’t even the worst of it; if he missed another practice at school with his gymnastics team, he’d be cut from the team and would have to sign up again next season. And then there was Zachary...

“Kaden, hey,” Zach called, coming up to walk beside the teen. Kaden flashed a smile and leaned up to press a kiss to the older teen’s lips.

“Hey Zach,” Kaden replied. Zach smiled, a smile that faltered moments later.

“Look, Kaden, we need to talk-”

“If this is about me missing our date the other night, I told you, I’m sorry, but-”

“No. This is about...us,” Zach replied. Kaden stopped in his tracks and looked at the other teen; were they about to...break up? Zach turned and looked at him, giving a shrug.

“I don’t mean to sound clingy or anything but...I don’t get to see you much anymore. It’s like, suddenly you’re too busy for me and-”

“Zach, I’m busy, but I still like you. A lot.”

“Then why do you feel so distant lately?” Zach countered. Kaden sighed and raked a hand through his hair, trying to find a response, something to say to put Zach’s doubts to rest, but he couldn’t think of anything. 

“Zach,” Kaden began, licking his lips. He enlaced his fingers with Zachary’s and said to him “I want to be with you, really. It’s just...there’s some shit going on in my life right now that’s keeping me busy. I mean, you know me.” Kaden looked up at Zach, their eyes meeting. He pressed a tender kiss to the older boy’s lips, which he gladly returned. When he parted, he gave a smirk and said “besides, you know me. If I didn’t want to be your boyfriend, I’d’ve broken up with you by now.”

“True,” Zach replied with a grin. He licked his lips and said “but seriously Kaden. I think...maybe we should take a break, y’know? Until life settles down a bit. I like spending time with you, but it’s like you’re never free anymore.” Kaden sighed deeply, because he really liked Zachary, but he couldn’t see a time when he would be more free, what with the Gymnastics team, school, homework, his friends and his night life as Robin, he was hard pressed to find any free time. He’d already given up some of his other extra curricular activities to make some room, what else could he give up.

“Are you...sure?” Kaden asked, sounding slightly upset. Zach bit his lip and nodded.

“Yeah." Kaden nodded in response and pressed a kiss to the teen’s lips once more.

“Okay. I guess a break might not be such a bad idea.”

“I’m not breaking up with you, don’t get the wrong idea,” Zach said with a laugh, his arms snaking around the teen’s waist and pulling him closer “because I like you too, a lot. But I guess you know that already since we...well, y’know.”

“Ugh, you’re so lame. Since we had sex, Zachary. Sex is the word you’re looking for,” Kaden teased, making Zach blush.

“Okay, shameless. Since we had sex. I just think we need some time apart, y’know? Figure things out.” Kaden nodded.

“Alright. I’ll see you later then,” Kaden said to him before parting from him and making his way home. He sighed and raked a hand through his hair, which was streak-less now, unfortunately. Damian made him get rid of it, and frankly, it was easier than hiding it, every night. 

Kaden came home and trudged up the stairs to his apartment, digging through his pocket for his key and then pushed the door open, closing it with his foot and dropped his bag by the door. His father was sitting on the couch, watching UFC as per the norm and he retreated to his bedroom. Or he would have, except-

“Hey champ. How was school? Everything okay, you look a little upset,” Jason called. Kaden huffed and made for the living room, brushing the hair out of his eyes.

“It was alright.”

“And?”

“And...Zach wants to take a break. He thinks I’m not interested.”

“Oh?”

“How do you and papa do it?” Kaden finally asked with an exasperated sight, flopping down on the couch beside his father. Jason shut the tv off and looked over at his son, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

“You mean juggling vigilante life with civilian life? Oh, it’s not as easy as it appears,” Jason replied with a grin. Kaden huffed in annoyance.

“So I’ve figured out,” Kaden replied with a huff. Jason shifted on the couch a bit so he could look at Kaden.

“Look, I know it’s hard, but this is what you wanted, wasn’t it? Being a vigilante isn’t all fun times and ass kicking. You gotta make sacrifices, tough choices, shit like that. I know it sucks, but it is what it is,” Jason explained to him. Kaden looked up at the man and gave a curt nod.

“Yeah, I guess.”

“So tell me, Kaden. Is it worth it? Do you enjoy being Robin?” Jason asked. Kaden thought about it for a few moments, and he did indeed being Robin. But was it worth all the trouble he was going through, with Gymnastics, with his friends, with his boyfriend? On one hand, it was a pain in the ass, and he really missed hanging out with his friends, and of course, Zach. On the other, he was helping to make a different in Gotham, helping and protecting people. 

“Yeah. I think it is,” Kaden replied. Jason gave the teen a smile and playfully backhanded his shoulder.

“Well there you go, you have your answer.” Kaden hugged his father before pushing himself up off the couch and making for his bedroom.

“Just do me one favor tonight, Kade” Jason called after him. The teen turned around and waited for his father to continue “take a break. From being Robin. You’ve been at it every night for three weeks now. Everyone needs a break and I don’t want to see you burn out, okay?” Kaden nodded in response.

“Okay. If you and papa do so as well. Maybe we can hang out like we used to?” Kaden suggested, smile tugging at his lips. Jason gave a smile and a nod in reply.

“Sure thing champ.”


	64. Streak and Ambush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Prompt by Selina:** "Call me mean but I wished that kaden as robin meet a other vigilante perhaps a cat, *wink*wink* but male and shockingly the catlad goes to his school and kaden has more attraction to catlad than Zach. And they fall in love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I got the first part of the prompt anyway. I like the concept, but the idea? Not so much. x) The series doesn't really need more permanent OCs, but this was a bit fun to write, regardless. ^^ I hope you all enjoy. :D
> 
> Also, for anyone wondering about their names "Ambush" and "Streak", tigers are solitary creatures, but when they group together, they're called a "Streak" of tigers or an "Ambush" of tigers.
> 
> Dick - 42  
> Jason - 39  
> Kaden - 16  
> Damian - 26

Kaden Todd-Grayson (a.k.a Robin, Boy Wonder) sailed through the air behind Batman, decked out in the red, black, and yellow of Robin. They had been in the middle of patrol when Bruce informed them of a robbery-in-progress at a Jewelry store in Uptown Gotham. Kaden was naturally thrilled because that meant more action. Damian was stone-faced as always though Kaden suspected that he enjoyed being Batman much more than he let on.

“There it is. Stay close and keep your guard up,” Damian told him as he landed on the roof of the store. Kaden rolled his eyes but gave a nod in acknowledgment. The duo approached the skylight which had a hole cut into it. Damian dropped down first, followed by Kaden. The two of them switched on their night vision and began the search for the jewel thieves.

The place was eerily silent as they made their way through the building, looking for the culprit. Kaden had an escrima stick and a brass knuckle on hand, ready for combat. Then they heard a laugh and followed the source. There they found-

“Catwoman?” Damian asked in an even tone. Indeed, a girl with long, dark brown hair turned around, dressed as a cat. In one hand, she had a bag, and in the other, a whip.

“Mmmm, Catwoman. Now there's a woman who had taste. Look at you,” the girl replied, giving a cat-like purr at Damian. She glanced over at Kaden and chuckled in amusement. “And you? Well damn, Boy Wonder got cuter since the last one,” she added.

“Hand over the jewels, Catwoman,” Damian barked, holding out his hand and glaring at her. The girl's smile faltered and then she tsk'd.

“Mmm, I think not. And for the record, my name is Streak,” she replied with a smug grin.

“Streak?” Kaden asked with a snicker of amusement.

“And Ambush,” came a male's voice from above them. Kaden and Damian looked up just in time to see a young man, roughly Kaden's age, garbed in a black cat costume dive down upon them. Kaden and Damian dived out of the way as the young man landed, weapons at the ready. He joined Streak, hand on his hip and flashing a smug grin. Streak wore leather pants and a top with a cat mask and a whip, whereas Ambush wore a one-piece leather outfit, equipped with claws, and an open cowl, with blue goggles over his eyes, and medium length platinum hair coming out of the top of his cowl.

“Streak-”

“And Ambush-” They each spoke in turn, saying the other's name. They flashed a look at each other and then a grin, bumping fists before turning their attention back to the Dynamic Duo.

“I'll take the tall, serious and handsome one,” said Streak. Ambush licked his lips as he eyed Kaden.

“Cool. Then I get the cute one in the red,” he said with a purr. With that, the two of them attacked their opponents. 

Kaden blocked Ambush's strike with an escrima stick and retaliated with an uppercut. Ambush backflipped once to avoid the attack before rushing in again, swinging a leg at the teen. Kaden sidestepped to avoid the attack, shoving at the other's leg and throwing him off balance, then landing a punch to his side. Ambush gasped and flipped back again, licking his lips as he widened his stance and eyes Kaden as if he were prey, grinning devilishly.

“Mmm, not bad. Your even cuter when you fight,” Ambush purred. Kaden flushed pink a bit, then growled and rushed his opponent. He and Ambush traded blows for a time, and both of them realized the other was holding back. “It's almost as if we're dancing. I rather enjoy a good dance, don't you?” Ambush purred, swinging a claw at Kaden. Kaden deflected the blow with an escrima stick and snorted.

“Are we fighting, or flirting?”

“Can't we do both?” Ambush replied, catching Kaden off guard and sending him crashing to the floor with a spin kick. Before Kaden could recover, Ambush was on top of him, pinning him to the floor.

“Well, well, well. What have we here? The cat's cornered the little bird,” he taunted, licking his lips.

“Or so the cat thinks,” Kaden replied with a smirk, flipping Ambush over his head and pushing himself onto his feet. Ambush skidded across the floor as he regained his balance, quickly retaliating and pinning Kaden against the wall.

“Or so he knows,” Ambush replied. Kaden opened his mouth to reply, but before he could get a word out, Ambush kissed him! Kaden's face burned crimson as the other male pressed his lips against his own. Completely taken off guard, he stood there, stupefied for several long moments as Ambush made his escape.

“Damn, lost the jewels! Ambush, let's get out of here!” Streak called from the roof. Ambush glanced back at Kaden and gave him a wink as he climbed back up to the roof, Streak reaching for his hand and pulling him up.

“Let's do this again sometime, little bird,” Ambush called back. Kaden shook his head and reached for his grappling gun, firing a line up after Damian. The two of them reached the roof and watched as the two cat burglars escaped into the night.

“Ugh, stupid and careless mistake,” Damian muttered to himself. He glanced over at Kaden whose face was still red and a goofy grin on his face. He followed Kaden's line of sight to Ambush's retreating form and made a sound of disgust. “Ugh, really? First father and now you?” Kaden shook his head and pulled himself from his thoughts.

“What?!” he asked innocently. Damian shook his head and pulled out his grappling gun, firing it across the way.

“Nothing. Forget it. Let's go, Boy Wonder.”


	65. Ambushed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Speaking of those cat burglars,” Dick chimed in with a sly grin. The man sipped his coffee and glanced over at Kaden, who was drinking his juice. “I hear a certain Boy Wonder had a little crush on one of them,” Dick teased. Kaden started choking on his orange juice, setting the glass down a little too hard and spilling some of it as he coughed, pounding his chest with his fist a bit as he tried to breath. Jason snorted with held back laughter, but Dick just let it out. He patted Kaden’s back a bit until the teen started to breath again.
> 
> “I do _not_!” Kaden protested in spite of his pink-tinted face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh...I know I said "No more permanent OCs" but these two cats have latched themselves onto my heart like little leeches...and now I can't get rid of them. x_x And I have to admit, the FULL prompt from Selina is looking more and more appealing, the more I look at Zachary, and how boring I made him, lmao. He's TOO good and that's turned out to be a problem. x)
> 
> Anywho, without further ado, I guess you can call this "Part 2" of Selina's prompt. xD
> 
> Dick - 42  
> Jason - 39  
> Kaden - 16  
> Damian - 26  
> Ambush and Streak - 17

Kaden yawned as he padded out of his bedroom in a pair of ripped jeans, a black leather belt, black converse sneakers, and a black t-shirt with a Chinese Dragon on it, wrapped around the Chinese character for ‘Dragon’ with the Chinese characters for “Dominance” and “Ambition” on the back. The teen was putting the last of his earrings back in, in his right ear, and then adjusted the black wristband around his left wrist.

“Morning Little Wing,” Dick called from the opposite side of the apartment, dressed and ready for work. The man adjusted his tie a little as he padded over behind Jason who was sitting at the table in a pair of jeans and a white tank top, working on his laptop.

“Morning kiddo,” Jason said to the teen, as he gave a glance at him over the top of his laptop. Kaden gave a yawn and pulled out a chair, sitting at the table. Moments later, Dick joined them, setting three plates down on the table.

“Mmm, pancakes! Thanks papa,” Kaden said cheerily, cutting a piece and taking a bite. “Mmm, blueberry,” he exclaimed, scoffing down his breakfast, with an occasional sip of his orange juice.

“You’re welcome,” Dick replied, taking a bit of his own food.

“Huh, go figure,” Jason muttered, tapping away at his laptop. Kaden pushed himself up from the table to pour himself a cup of coffee and glanced over his shoulder at his father.

“What’s up dad?” Kaden asked, grabbing the French Vanilla creamer out of the refrigerator.

“Those jewel thieves you and Damian went after a few nights ago? They returned everything they stole. All the jewels were accounted for once again, as of last night,” Jason replied. Kaden arched an eyebrow and was about to return to the table, when Jason held out his coffee cup. “Hold up. Give your dad a refill, eh champ?” Kaden rolled his eyes, setting his coffee down on the table before grabbing his father’s. “Thanks kiddo.”

“Hey, Little Wing, while you’re over there, could you bring me the sugar?” Dick asked, pointing to his coffee. Kaden finished pouring his father’s coffee, handing it off to the man and setting the sugar down in front of Dick. He heaved a sigh and sat back down at the table, sipping his coffee. _Finally!_

“So what? They stole all that stuff for sport?” Kaden asked at last, arching an eyebrow. Jason gave a shrug.

“Wouldn’t be the first time,” Jason answered, sipping his coffee.

“Speaking of those cat burglars,” Dick chimed in with a sly grin. The man sipped his coffee and glanced over at Kaden, who was drinking his juice. “I hear a certain Boy Wonder had a little crush on one of them,” Dick teased. Kaden started choking on his orange juice, setting the glass down a little too hard and spilling some of it as he coughed, pounding his chest with his fist a bit as he tried to breath. Jason snorted with held back laughter, but Dick just let it out. He patted Kaden’s back a bit until the teen started to breath again.

“I do _not_!” Kaden protested in spite of his pink-tinted face. “Whatever Damian told you, it’s a lie! Besides, I _have_ a boyfriend. Zachary, remember?” Kaden pointed out, stabbing at his pancakes. Jason snorted.

“You mean the one who wanted to ‘take a break’, which is usually code for ‘I wanna screw someone else’,” Jason replied. Kaden huffed at him, shooting a glare and Dick jabbed him in the side with his elbow.

“You’re completely tactless, you know that?” Dick snapped. Jason snorted again and gave a shrug of his shoulders.

“Hey, it’s called _honesty_ , Dickie,” Jason replied.

“You’re still mad I…well…y’know…with Zach?!” Kaden asked, his face flushing pink with embarrassment.

“Uh, yeah. And I still wanna shoot him, but we don’t always get what we want,” Jason answered nonchalantly. “Look, I ain’t mad at you, kiddo. I just don’t like that kid,” he added with a shrug. “I’m your dad. It’s my _job_ to hate everyone you bring home.”

Kaden tried to glare at him and be mad, but he couldn’t help but to snicker a little at the last comment.

“Well…whatever. Let’s just stop talking about it,” Kaden said a little sourly. Kaden finished the rest of his breakfast, then dumped his plate, fork, and glass in the sink. He hugged each of his parents, then scooped up his bag and made for the door.

“Bye Dad, bye Papa, I love you,” Kaden called back, grabbing his keys off the wall. “By the way, can I drive today?” Kaden asked, pausing at the door. He bounced a little on his feet as he waited, rather impatiently. Dick and Jason exchanged a look.

“I dunno. Dickie, what do you think?” Jason asked, closing his laptop. Dick frowned and sat for a few moments in thought. Finally, he looked up, toward Kaden, and smiled.

“Sure, why not,” he finally said. Kaden pumped his fist through the air and cheered quietly to himself. “But--” Dick began, taking the wind out of Kaden’s sails “drive _carefully_ and drive _responsibly._ I don’t want to hear about any tickets or stops, understood?”

“Yes! Thank you papa!” Kaden said cheerily, rushing out the door.

*_*_*_*_*

Kaden closed his locker shut and headed for the cafeteria for lunch period. Michael and Melinda caught up with him about half way. He stopped and turned when he heard Michael’s voice, a grin spreading from ear-to-ear when the auburn haired teen caught up with him. Melinda came from the other way and wrapped her arms around both her friends’ shoulders.

“’Sup fuckers?” She asked, grinning at each of them.

“Got a date with Katie LaBlanc tonight,” Michael said cheerily, pumping his fist through the air. Kaden chuckled in amusement and high-fived his best friend.

“Nice going! Finally got the balls to ask her out, eh?” Kaden teased, getting a scoff in reply from Melinda. She unwound herself from her two friends and shoved Kaden playfully.

“Oh, look at this guy, talking about balls! Who was it again that stammered like an idiot every time Zachary came bye,” Melinda teased, pulling a laugh out of Michael. Kaden blushed in response and shoved her back. “Uh-um. Hi Z-Zachary! I w-wanted to kn-know--” Melinda teased, mimicking Kaden.

“Bite me,” Kaden shot back. Melinda snorted and stuck her tongue out at him.

“Pretty sure that’s Zach’s job now,” she retorted in a low tone, making Kaden’s face glow pink. Kaden turned his gaze and that was when he happened to spot a familiar mop of platinum blonde hair. His eyes narrowed a bit as he spotted Travis McNeil; there was no denying that Travis was kind of hot, but he and Kaden were not on friendly terms. They didn’t hate each other either. They were more like acquaintances at best. Few people at this school had platinum blonde hair, and his twin sister--

“Hey, Kaden!” Michael called. Kaden turned and saw his friends going on without them. He glanced back toward Travis before he caught up with Michael and Melinda.

*_*_*_*_*

Robin perched himself on top of the clock tower, looking out over the city with a pair of binoculars. He was supposed to have met up with Batman, but he was looking for someone. Namely, a cat burglar named ‘Ambush’.

“They’re names are Travis and Lindsey McNeil. They were adopted by Selina” came Damian’s voice from behind him. Kaden turned and glanced up at his half brother, pumping his fist through the air.

“Ha! I knew it!” Kaden said cheerily, earning a glare from Damian.

“You knew it?”

“Well, I suspected. It’s not like there’s a whole lot of people at school with platinum blonde hair,” Kaden replied. He did a double-take when what Damian had said set in. “Wait, what?! Selina adopted Travis and Lindsey?!” Damian remained as stoic as ever, still looking out at the city before them.

“Well, not exactly. They were street kids she took off the streets,” he replied. He glanced over at Kaden and added “it’s the East End in the Bowery. Few people care down there. It wouldn’t be the first time. Years ago, she adopted a girl named Arizona and trained her to be her sidekick for a short time.”

“Oh wow, that’s kind of sad. But why--”

“Why are they stealing things, only to put them, back? Sport, most likely. I doubt Selina would allow them to steal things while in her home,” Damian replied.

“But wasn’t she--”

“Once upon a time, yes. Of course father had an…effect…on her,” Damian interrupted.

“How do you--”

“Know what you’re going to say? It doesn’t take a rocket scientist, and besides, you’re predictable,” Damian replied with a sly little smirk. Kaden snorted and turned his attention back toward the city.

“Ass,” he muttered. Sure enough, he caught sight of Streak and Ambush breaking into a museum. “There they are!”

“Let’s move.”

*_*_*_*_*

“Did you get the statue?” Streak asked as she tucked a jeweled necklace into a small pouch at her waist. Ambush gave a wicked grin and produced the blue cat statue from behind his back; it was rather small at only a foot tall.

“Got it.”

“Good, let’s--” Streak began, but was cut off when a smoke bomb landed at her feet, spewing smoke all over the place.

“Put the statue and the jewels back. Now,” Damian said with a dark glare. Streak and Ambush retreated out of the smoke and spotted Batman and Robin when it cleared. The two cat burglars exchanged glances, smirking at each other before turning their attention back onto the Dynamic Duo.

“Looks like the party just started,” Streak purred, patting the satchel at her waist, while Ambush cracked his knuckles. He glanced over at Streak and nodded toward Robin.

“Bird boy is mine,” Ambush said, licking his lips. Kaden blushed a little bit, but drew a pair of escrima sticks. He’s been practicing double stick escrima with his papa and now seemed like a good time to test his ability.

“Good. Gives me a chance to practice a few new moves,” Kaden replied with a smug grin.

“Stay focused,” Damian snapped, lunging in at Streak. Kaden turned and retreated and Ambush laughed.

“That your new technique? Turn and run? Well, at least I got a nice view,” Ambush taunted, followed Robin. Kaden rounded a corner and threw down a smoke bomb. Ambush turned the corner and ran right into it, unsuspecting, and started coughing. He backed up to retreat and got a few escrima strikes to his back, sending him stumbling forward.

“Wow, bird stalks cat. What a surprising turn of events,” Ambush purred, charging Robin. Kaden waited patiently like Dick taught him, and when Ambush got in close and threw a fist, Kaden ducked, using Ambush’s strength and momentum against him, to throw him across the room. Kaden danced away a bit, putting a little more distance between himself and Ambush.

Ambush landed on his feet, skidding to a stop and grinned at Robin.

“Oh, this is going to be fun! You’re both cute _and_ good in a fight. What else are you good at, I wonder?” Ambush came at him again and Kaden prepared to strike, but it was a feint; Ambush rolled to his right and delivered an uppercut. Kaden stumbled backward, his back hitting the wall behind him where Ambush pinned him. “Pinned you again. I’m kinda liking the sight of you beneath me,” Ambush purred, licking his lips.

“I’ll bet you do, _Travis_ ,” Kaden whispered, grinning like the devil at Ambush’s shocked expression. He took the opportunity to shove the other away, crouching down into a fighting stance and waiting for another attack, but none came.

“Why did you say that name?”

“Duh, I’m trained by _Batman_ , _world’s greatest detective_?” Kaden replied. Ambush stared at him in silence for a few moments, then chuckled in amusement.

“Wow, I’m impressed. Cute, good in a fight, _and_ intelligent. Damn, you’re quite the catch,” Ambush purred, returning to his playful and flirtatious demeanor. He approached Robin casually and Kaden dropped his guard a little, lowering his escrima sticks. Ambush, or more accurately, _Travis_ , got _really close_ to him with a cocky smirk on his face. He leaned in and kissed the Boy Wonder and Kaden let him. A part of him felt horrible, because he was still technically dating Zachary, even if they were “taking a break”. On the other hand, this was something… _exciting_. It sent a rush of adrenaline through his veins and made him want _more_. The kiss itself was soft and tender, just Travis’ lips against his.

And dropping his guard was his mistake. Ambush grabbed his cape and pulled it over his head, then shoved him away.

“Hey! What the--” Kaden blurted out, bumping against a pillar behind him.

“Sorry, gotta go. But hey, look me up sometime, Boy Wonder,” Ambush called as he raced down the hall and grabbed the cat statue. He turned and gave Robin a wink and a grin. “I’d love to do this again sometime.”

“Not with this,” Damian growled, snatching the statue away from him and shoving him down to the floor with an open-palmed strike to the chest. Ambush grunted as his back hit the floor, but he recovered by somersaulting backward and firing a line to the roof. He and Streak retreated through a window and off into the night, but this time, without their loot.

Damian glanced over at Kaden and made a disgusted sound.

“Tt, you’re pathetic,” Damian snapped, as Kaden stared after Travis. “I can practically see the hearts in your eyes. You’re head over heels for that kid, aren’t you?” Damian asked in a completely even tone. Kaden, pulled from his reverie, glared over at Damian

“Bite me. Besides, papa said you had a crush on Supergirl once,” Kaden snapped back. Damian snorted and turned away from Kaden and turned to return what the two cat burglars had stolen.

“Preposterous. I’ve never had a crush on Kara Kent,” Damian replied stiffly, to which Kaden giggled.

“Oh yeah? Funny how you just used her real name, then,” Kaden teased.

“Shut it, _Robin._ ”


	66. "Nightwing"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nightwing had always been one of Kaden's favorite heroes, so learning that one of his dads was Nightwing? _Totally awesome_. But now he was kind of wondering...what would it be like? To _be_ Nightwing...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this was fun. I randomly came up with this one out of nowhere this morning and decided it HAD to be written. :D I brought it up, and kate1zena and I traded some silly ideas for it. It was fun to write though. xD
> 
> Also Voltron Season Two Spoilers ahead. :P Read at your own risk.

It was two in the morning when patrol came to an end, and Kaden, A.K.A Robin, Boy Wonder, moved silently through the shadows like a wraith, slipping through the window to his bedroom. The teen closed the window behind him and tugged his blue curtains closed so no one could peek inside. Star came running into his room moments later, tail wagging happily. Kaden grinned from ear-to-ear as the dog jumped up on him and licked his face. The teen chuckled a bit and scratched her ears and patted her a bit.

“Hey girl! How's my girl? Whose a good girl?” he said with a little giggle as Star nearly knocked him over and licked his face happily. “Okay, okay! Down now,” he said, and Star obeyed, making herself comfortable on her sheepskin fur rug, tail still wagging. He turned back toward the inside of his room and heaved a tired sigh, peeling off his mask and body armor, the rest of his Robin costume following shortly thereafter.

He'd made some changes and modifications to his costume since his father had given it to him for Christmas last year. Namely, he'd added a layer of Kevlar to the chest piece; enough to give him light protection, while maintaining as much of his mobility as possible. He'd also moved away from the red and black a bit, adding some green and yellow to the costume to try and capture a bit of the old 'Robin' flare. He'd added green, elbow-length gauntlets and boots, with a yellow utility belt, and yellow on the inside of the black cape. 

Kaden looked over his costume for damage that might need to be repaired later. Other than some scuff marks there or there and a small tear at the edge of the cape, it looked good. Satisfied, he tucked the gear into a lockbox he'd kept underneath his bed, laying his escrima stick, stun gun, and utility belt on top of the armor, and sealed the box back up, pushing back underneath his bed. He covered his mouth as he yawned once more, digging through his drawers for a pair of red dorm pants, pulling them on before padding out to the kitchen for a drink of water. He rubbed his shoulders and grunted, working a few knots out and rolling the arm a bit before pulling open the fridge.

As he closed the fridge, grabbing a water bottle out and twisting off the cap, he became aware of Nightwing standing there, watching him. Kaden didn't so much as flinch.

“Hey papa. How was patrol?” Kaden asked without so much as a glance in his dad's direction. Dick sighed, followed by a chuckle of amusement as he pulled off the mask.

“Pretty boring, actually. I see you've finally gotten used to us appearing from thin air, huh?” Dick asked with a smirk. Kaden turned and gave his papa a smirk, and shrugged his shoulders.

“Yeah. You don't spook me anymore. Nice try though. A+ For effort,” Kaden teased before taking another sip from the bottle. His parents, and Damian, had taken to randomly “appearing” to him either during or after patrol. It used to spook him, making him jump a bit, every time. But over time, it got him less and less until eventually, he became used to it. Now it didn't bother him at all. He'd tried to do it a couple of times on each of them, but they always seemed to know he was there.

Dick ruffled the teen's hair and stole his water bottle, playfully pushing the teen away as he tried to take it back. Dick took a swig from it then tossed it back.

“Thanks, Little Wing. You better get to bed though. You've got school tomorrow,” Dick replied with a smile. Kaden grinned at the man as he caught the bottle and out it back in the fridge. He gave a nod in reply, covering his mouth as another yawn escaped from him.

“Good idea. Night papa,” Kaden said tiredly, rubbing his eyes. Dick flashed the boy a smile, but Kaden hesitated, glancing over at the man and eyeing his uniform. He arched a brow for a moment and then began to imagine what he'd look like in it...

“Something wrong, Little Wing?” Dick asked. Kaden shook his head.

“No. Nothing. Good night,” he replied, heading for his bedroom. The teen padded into his bedroom and let himself fall into bed before pulling the blanket up over himself. Nightwing had always been one of his favorite heroes, so learning that one of his dads was Nightwing? Totally awesome. But now he was kind of wondering...what would it be like? To _be_ Nightwing...

~_~_~_~_~

It was Saturday and Kaden found himself home alone, with his papa off at work in Bludhaven as a police officer, and his father down at the Auto shop where he'd picked up a job a couple of years ago, working on cars. He'd taught Kaden a thing or two here or there and the teen found it rather fun, but on his weekends, he preferred to be doing...other stuff. Namely, catching up on Voltron on Netflix.

He'd seen all of season one, but hadn't seen much of season two. Between school, Gymnastics practice, and patrol, he hadn't had a lot of time to watch much of anything on Netflix. He'd only gotten into the show anyway because of his best friend, Michael. Michael was big into the show and had pestered Kaden for over a week to watch it. When he finally did, he was hooked immediately; it turned out to be a great show and that had become one of Kaden and Michael's favorite subjects. Melinda, of course, teased them, calling them nerds. It was all in good fun though; all three of them were nerds in one way or another.

Kaden started his day like normal; breakfast coffee, and then his usual morning exercises. Then he spent a good portion of the day playing World of Warcraft with his friends before making his way out to the living room and turning on Netflix. He started up season 2 of Voltron and the marathon began.

As season two came to and end though, he found himself shocked.

“What the hell?! What kind of cliffhanger is that?! Where the hell is Shiro?!” Kaden cursed, jumping off of his seat and turning the show off. He huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. “They better hurry up with season three,” he muttered to himself with a scowl on his face. He sighed and looked around the room, turning off the TV. His thoughts turned to last night and once again, he found himself wonder...what would it be like to be Nightwing...?

Kaden glanced at the clock; he still had plenty of time before either of his parents came home. A grin split his face and he made his way down toward the spare room where his parents kept their gear. He creaked the door open and snuck a peak inside, then made his way inside the room. His parents weren't around, do there was no need to sneak, yet still...he opened the closet and there he found one of a few Nightwing costumes his papa had hanging there, as well as his dad's Arkham Knight gear. Curiosity piqued, he reached for his father's chest plate and tried lifting it up. He grunted at how heavy it was before putting it back; he could lift it fine, but holy crap, it was heavier than it looked!  
He glanced around one final time, looking for someone who wasn't there, then reached for and grabbed one of the Nightwing outfits and a pair of escrima sticks. He felt like a kid in a candy store as he looked over the costume.

He huffed in annoyance as he barely fit himself into it; it was then he realized he was built more like his dad than he was like papa. Still, he managed to fit, barely, into the costume. Zipping it up prove a tad more difficult. He arched his back as he pulled the zipper growling when it wouldn't budge. Finally, after five minutes of messing with it, he got it. He pressed one of the masks onto his face, then moved toward a full body mirror, checking himself out in the mirror. Okay, so it was a tight fit, but he still looked pretty damn good! He couldn't help but to grin at his reflection as he twirled the escrima sticks in his hand.

“Wow, check me out! I'm Nightwing!” Kaden said with an excited giggle as he struck a few daring poses, twirling the escrima sticks in his hands.

~_~_~_~_~

Dick heaved a sigh after a long day at work, and unlocked the door and pushed it open. He'd gotten off an hour early for which he was grateful; today had mostly been paperwork. It was a dull day, and he wasn't really complaining; dull days were good, it meant his work as Nightwing was having an effect. But sitting at a desk most of the day just wasn't that appealing. Dick shucked off his jacket and hung it on a coat peg, then undid his tie and the first couple of buttons at the top of his shirt. He kicked off his shoes and made his way toward his bedroom, but something caught his attention; he heard sounds coming from the equipment room.

Arching a brow, he sneaked his way toward the room and peaked his head inside. What he saw was beyond adorable. He saw Kaden dressed in one of his Nightwing outfits, performing a few flips and kicks, even some escrima combos, in front of the mirror.

Dick bit his lip and grinned, struggling not to laugh as he silently slipped his hand into his pocket and fished out his phone. He opened up the camera app and began recording for about a minute and a half. He saved the file and sent it off to Jason and Alfred.

“You can't touch me, I'm Nightwing!” Kaden said with a wicked grin.

“Yeah, you tell 'em “Nightwing,” Dick said smoothly, standing in the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest. Kaden spun around with a look of horror on his face. He dropped the escrima sticks and peel off the mask, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.

“Uh...I can explain,” Kaden said, pale faced as his papa stared him down. Dick found that that hardest part, was maintaining a straight face; he had to be stern, angry, because Kaden had taken one of his suits, very expensive suits, without permission. On top of a dozen other things that could've happened.

~_~_~_~_~

“Well, I think we can all agree that my humiliation in front of Alfred, Grandpa, Damian, and Aunt Babs is punishment enough..right?” Kaden asked with a nervous smile, standing before both of his parents who did not look amused.

“Wrong. You're benched for a week, Kaden,” Jason said sternly, pointing at him accusingly. “Aside from taking something that wasn't yours without asking, you could've exposed us or worse! You realized Dick's escrima sticks can discharged over 10,000 volts of electricity, right?”

“Uh,” Kaden stammered a bit, shrinking back a little.

“You could've accidentally shocked yourself! And if something like that had happened, and we weren't around?!” Dick asked, glaring at the teen. Kaden shrunk back a little bit more.

“Um...”

“Go to your room,” Jason ordered, pointing down the hall. Kaden hurried down the hall, but once he got to his room, he couldn't help but smile; he got to be Nightwing, even if it was for all of like, forty minutes.

Once Kaden was out of sight though, Dick pulled out his phone and giggled as he played the video again for Jason, who leaned over his shoulder, grinning like a dork.

“Isn't he adorable though?!” Dick asked cheerfully.


	67. A Hard Lesson To Learn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Prompt by Sam_Lewis:** Patrol leads to a hard lesson for Kaden when someone dies on his watch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be fair, It's not EXACTLY what was prompted, but it's as close as I could manage. For reasons. Writer reason's. x3 >_>;

Fear gas. Despite his old age, Scarecrow was still active and terrorizing Gotham with new fear formulas. This particular formula brought your fears to life, projecting monsters, criminals, etc, onto other people. Fortunately, Batman and Robin arrived on the scene and managed to round up the infected civilians, tying them up and securing them, preventing them from inflicting harm on themselves or others.

Except for one man who was wielding a gun.

“Robin, I’m going after Scarecrow. Be careful,” Batman said evenly. Robin gave a nod and pursued the man with the gun, keeping his wits about him. When he got outside, the man had climbed onto the roof. Robin followed ad when he got up a gunshot rang out, missing him by inches.

“Hey look pal, calm down. Everything is going to be fine. You’re hallucinating.”

“Don’t touch me! Stay away! You took everything from me!” the man sobbed. Robin approached slowly when the man tossed the gun aside, backing up toward the edge of the building.

“Hey, hey! Look at me! Focus! Listen to the sound of my voice! You’re hallucinating! Whatever you’re seeing, it’s not real!” Robin tried again. The man started the panic, sobbing hysterically as Robin drew closer, so the teen stopped dead in his tracks, wracking his brain for a solution. The man was near the edge of a building; if he made the wrong move...

“You killed them...you killed them all you...sick fucking clown!” the man shouted. Robin easily deduced from there what the man’s fear was. A fear he once had years ago. All the more reason to be cautious.

“Listen-” Robin spoke softly, taking another step toward the man. Wrong move. The man grabbed up the gun and attempted to fire, but Robin was fast. He threw a wing-wing, knocking the gun out of the man’s hand. Shocked, the man stumbled backwards, toward the edge of the building.

“No! Stop!” Robin shouted. The man tripped and fell, just as he made a mad dash toward him, drawing his grappling gun. He heard the scream and dread filled his heart; he was too late. He stopped at the edge of the building, looking over it to see the man below, dead.

Robin stared down wide-eyed in horror and stumbled backwards, collapsing to his knees and tearing off his mask. 

_I...I just killed him!_

Batman landed on the roof, cursing under his breath; Scarecrow had somehow eluded him, slippery snake. He caught sight of Robin on the ground a short distance away, and hurried over to Robin’s side, concern etched on his face. He knelt down beside the teen and grabbed his mask off of the ground, pressing it back to his face. He was in shock, didn’t react.

“Robin. Robin!” Batman called. Robin was snapped out of his thoughts and looked up at Batman, the same shocked expression on his face. Batman frowned and stood up, moving toward the edge of the building, seeing the dead man at the bottom. He looked back at Robin and immediately understood.

“I...I _killed_ him,” Robin muttered softly. Batman shook his head, kneeling down before the teen and placing a hand atop his head.

“No, you didn’t. Scarecrow did, Robin. Not you,” Batman said evenly. Robin looked up at him and shook his head.

“But I-”

“You can’t save everyone, Robin. I know it hurts, it sucks, but...” Batman paused, searching for more words, but finding none. He was not the best person to be trying to console him, considering his own past.

“C’mon. Patrol’s over,” Batman said, tugging Robin to his feet.

* * * * *

“Shit,” Jason muttered, raking a hand through his hair, looking down the hallway to his son’s bedroom. He didn’t know what to do or say to him, because he himself had willingly killed so many as The Red Hood. His son wasn’t a killer, so he couldn’t even imagine how he must be feeling, not really.

“He’s still pretty shocked from the whole thing. I tried to help, but...y’know, former assassin and all,” Damian tried to joke, chuckling a bit at his own comment. Jason smirked and nodded, patting the young man’s back.

“I know what you mean,” Jason replied. Dick frowned and crossed his arms over his chest; this would be up to him, and he’d have to dredge up old memories he would have rather forgotten. But for Kaden’s sake, he’d do it.

“I’ll talk to him,” Dick finally said. All eyes were on him and he gave a shrug and a sigh.

“I know how he feels. I’ve been where he’s been. But it’ll still take time,” Dick explained. Damian gave a nod and excused himself.

“Alright. I think it best if he stays off patrol for a little while. Good night,” Damian called back before he left. Jason turned to Dick and rubbing his back soothingly.

“You okay to do this? I know those memories aren’t exactly...” Jason trailed off, concern in his voice. Dick managed a small smile, stealing a kiss from his husband, followed by a hug.

“I can handle it. Besides, Kaden needs someone right now. May as well be me,” Dick answered. Jason gave a curt nod, watching as his husband made his way to their son’s room.

Dick gave a light knock, before pushing the door open. Kaden was tucked in a corner, on his bed with his earphones in, hugging his knees. The teen looked up at his papa with a blank expression. Dick managed a small smile, despite the cutting edge of the defeated, broken look on the teen’s face. He sat on the edge of the bed and patted the space beside him. Kaden sighed, turning off his music and scooting over to sit beside his papa.

“Hey, how’re you holding up?” Dick asked. Kaden sighed again and raked a hand through his hair, looking downright miserable.

“Fine I guess. For a killer,” he muttered. Dick frowned and gently grabbed the boy by his chin, making him look at him.

“Hey. You’re not a killer, okay?” Dick said firmly, but calmly.

“Why not? I may as well have pushed that man myself,” Kaden snapped, pulling away from the man’s grip and glaring down at the floor. Dick shook his head and rubbed the teen’s back soothingly.

“Kaden...we can’t always save everyone. Sometimes...sometimes we lose people, despite our best efforts,” Dick began. Kaden snorted softly, but Dick chose to ignore it. He dug deep, for a particular memory from Bludhaven.

“I know how you feel, Kaden. In fact, I’ve felt worse. Because...I’ve done worse,” Dick said softly, a somber look on his face. Kaden looked at his papa in surprise, not expecting this conversation to go this way.

“In my earlier days as Nightwing, there was this super villain named Blockbuster. Terrorizing Bludhaven,” Dick began, tone soft as he stared down at the floor. Kaden shifted a bit on the bed, giving the man his full attention.

“Things got pretty dark for me, and he drove me to near insanity. By the end of the whole ordeal, another vigilante...killed him,” Dick continued. He looked over at Kaden, who flinched a bit at the sad look in the man’s eyes.

“But you didn’t-”

“Do anything,” Dick interrupted. He took a deep breath, exhaling and then went on “I didn’t do anything...to stop it. I had the power to stop it, to save him, but instead, I did nothing. I let this vigilante kill him. I just...watched.” A silence permeated the room as Dick gathered his thoughts and collected himself. He looked down at Kaden and flashed a sad smile.

“So yeah, little wing. I know what you’re going through. I know how you feel. That moment ate at me for so long. Even to this day, I still feel a bit of guilt for it. But eventually, I moved on, chose to try and be better.” Dick cupped the teen’s face, thumb stroking over his cheek gently.

“You tried to save that man, that’s the difference though. You’re not a killer, and you didn’t kill him. Fault lies with Scarecrow. His fear toxin is what caused all this. You have nothing to feel guilty about, you understand?” Kaden managed a small smiled and gave a nod. Dick smiled back, ruffling the teen’s hair then kissing his forehead.

“I...yeah. Thanks papa,” Kaden answered, hugging the man tight. Dick kissed the top of the teen’s head and hugged him tight.

“No matter what you do, your dad and I will always love you. This doesn’t change anything, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Good. Now c’mon,” Dick said with a grin, pushing himself off of the teen’s bed and heading for the door. Kaden flashed a quizzical look and followed his papa out of his room.

“What?” Kaden asked. Dick turned, walking backward with a goofy grin on his face.

“Me, you, and your dad are going to pull an all-nighter, and play some video games. That’ll take your mind off things, yeah?” Kaden grinned from ear to ear.

“Really?! You realize I have school tomorrow?” Kaden asked.

“Blow it off! We’ll call you out sick!” Jason called from the living room, grin on his face, having caught the conversation. He got to setting up the tv and the console and tossed Dick and Kaden a controller.

“C’mon, let’s play,” Jason called, waving them over. Kaden laughed and hurried over to the couch, flopping down beside his dad. Dick chuckled in amusement and joined them, sitting on Kaden’s other side.

“Love you baby bird,” Dick said once more, kissing the teen’s head. Kaden snorted.

“Yeah, yeah. Sentimental crap later. It’s game time!"


	68. Be My Valentine?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason kicks Kaden out of the house for Valentine's Day so Kaden spends the day at the manor. Alone. Or not?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little Valentine's Day request from kate1zena. You guys have her to thank for this intoxicatingly adorable prompt. :D I twisted it a little bit though, added my own bit to it. Took some liberties. I'm sure she won't mind. <3
> 
> It's a day late, but, why not, right? xP
> 
> Dick - 41  
> Jason - 39  
> Kaden - 17

Valentine’s Day rolled around once again and Jason and Dick had plans this year as usual. This year, they made plans together, as opposed to surprising each other as per usual. Though that didn’t stop them from trying to do so anyway. While Dick was at work, Jason was sprucing the place up, trying to “set the mood” so to speak. This was a side of Jason Dick loved, and didn’t like to share. He could be really, _really_ romantic, and he’d been glad that only he got to see that side of him.

Jason was just putting on the finishing touches by placing a bouquet of Dick’s mother’s favorite flowers on the table. Kaden chose that moment to pad out of his room, dressed in a pair of his favorite trashy jeans, a black band t-shirt and a black and red hoodie. He had his ear buds in as he shuffled out barefoot with Star following behind him tail wagging. She nosed at his hand and he gave a little laugh, patting her head.

“I’m getting it, I’m getting it, stop being so pushy, you brat!” he said with a laugh, reaching up into the cabinet and grabbing a doggie bone for her. Jason rolled his eyes, watching the two of them and glancing around the room at all his preparations. There was only one thing left to do; boot Kaden out of the house.

Jason moved across the room and grabbed the wire to Kaden’s earbuds and pulled them out. 

“Hey, what’s the-oh, dad. Hey,” Kaden muttered, grabbing at his ear buds.

“Kaden, you’re going to the manor tonight,” Jason said evenly, more of a statement than a request. Kaden pulled a disgusted face and nodded.

“Don’t worry, I was just coming out to get my shoes,” Kaden replied, moving across the room to kick his shoes on.

“It’s Valentines Day, and-”

“Ew, dad. Spare me, please. I know what day it is. You and papa get all gross all day. Call me when you’ve sufficiently bleached the place so I can live in it again, yeah?” Kaden shot back, glancing at his father over his shoulder. He grabbed the keys off the wall, but his father stopped him before he reached the door.

“Kaden, you’re not taking my motorcycle,: Jason said, quirking an eyebrow. Kaden huffed and hung the keys back up on the wall.

“Aw, c’mon! You keep promising to let me-”

“Only because you keep pestering! Parents sometimes tell little white lies to get their kids to stop annoying them,” Jason replied with a smirk. Kaden huffed and grabbed his car keys off the wall. His grandfather had bought him his own car for Christmas, which he hadn’t really gotten to drive yet. His parents hadn’t let him touch the car until he got his report card; driving his new car was more than incentive enough to keep his grades up. Not that he ever got less than an A. And that was when he wasn’t really even trying.

And it was a _really_ nice car, too. Bruce had gotten him a red 2009 Ford Mustang. An expensive car to be sure, but little more than pocket change to the likes of Bruce Wayne.

“Well, can I at least take _my_ car? I got straight A’s! I think I’ve earned it!” Kaden pestered. Jason huffed in annoyance, rolling his eyes and shooing Kaden out of the apartment.

“Yes, yes, take your car. But drive safely, okay?” Jason said smoothly, patting the teen’s shoulder. Kaden grinned widely, hugging his father and giving a nod.

“Don’t worry dad, I’ll be fine! I’ll see you later. Try not to get...stuff on...things,” Kaden added, cringing as he looked around the apartment one final time. Jason snorted, smirk tugging at his lips as he pushed the teen out the door.

“Goodbye, Kaden.”

* * * * *

Kaden arrived at the manor in his new car, happy that he got to finally drive it at least. He hopped out and made his way up to the door, but Alfred answered before he could knock or ring the bell. He hadn’t brought anything with him because he already had some things here. The manor was practically his second home.

“Master Kaden. I’ve been expecting you,” Alfred said with a slight smile. Kaden smiled, giving the man a hug as was his usual greeting, a habit he picked up from his papa, before he made his way inside.

“It’s that time of year again, and dad and papa are being gross,” Kaden said evenly, popping his ear buds out. Alfred watched the teen make his way inside, smirk on his face as he closed the door.

“Yes, I’m sure. Give it time and some day you’ll have a child of your own telling you that you’re being gross,” Alfred responded. Kaden snorted and shrugged his shoulders in response, earning a chuckle of amusement from the man.  
“Damian here?” Kaden asked, jamming his hands into the pockets of his hoodie.

“Afraid not. He and Master Bruce are away on business,” Alfred replied. Kaden frowned at that, which meant he’d be alone this weekend. He would never admit it, but he didn’t like being alone. Especially not in the manor. Wayne manor was huge.

“I guess I’ll be in my room then. Thanks Alf,” Kaden called, with a wave back as he climbed the all-to-familiar stairs to his bedroom in the manor. He sighed and pushed the door open to his room. It was twice as big as his room at the apartment, walls dotted with posters of his favorite bands, actors, and so on. One of his favorites, was a Flying Graysons poster his papa had given him. He’d seen some of the old footage of their act from when his papa was still a kid himself. It played a major part in Kaden’s desire to be an acrobat.

Kaden heaved a sigh and let himself fall back onto is bed, music still going until he finally decided to turn it off, tossing his iPod onto the nightstand. He closed his eyes and let his thoughts roam a bit. Boredom finally drove him to turn his tv on and fire up his game system.

He played for a few hours before his phone rang. Curious, he fished it out of his pocket to find a text from Zachary. _Be My Valentine? Look out your window_. Kaden frowned and paused the game, pushing himself up off the bed and moving to his window. There, he saw Zachary, leaning back against his car. The teen gave a wave and Kaden smiled a bit. He made his way out of his bedroom and down the stairs.

“Hey Alfred, I’m going outside for a bit,” Kaden called, intentionally being vague.

“Yes of course. I’m sure your boyfriend would appreciate your attention,” Alfred called back knowingly. Kaden flinched a bit, but was rather unsurprised. Alfred seemed to know everything. But then, he practically raised the entire family single-handedly. After raising Batman and four robins, he was practically omniscient. 

Kaden made his way out of the manor and out past the gates to a smiling Zachary, who pulled out a single red rose from behind his back and handed it to Kaden. Kaden’s face tinted pink as he tentatively took the flower.

“Happy Valentine’s Day Kaden,” Zachary said softly, leaning forward to place a kiss on Kaden's cheek. Kaden huffed, face burning as he playfully pushed Zachary away from him.

“God, dude, you’re such a sap,” Kaden teased, earning a little laugh from Zach.

“I know. But you like it.”

“A little. But don’t tell anyone. Especially not my parents. Or Damian. Or...well, anyone in my family,” Kaden replied, another laugh sounding from Zachary.

“Sure thing.”

“So what’re you doing here?” Kaden asked, fidgeting with the rose. Zach blushed a bit, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly,

“Well, I guess I just wanted to see you. It is Valentine’s Day after all,” Zachary replied, leaning forward to enlace his fingers with Kaden’s. Another blush spread across the tee’s cheeks.

“Very observant of you,” Kaden joked. Zachary grinned and gave a shrug.

“I know we’re taking a break and all, but I just wanted you to know I haven’t forgotten about you.”

“God, my boyfriend is almost as mushy and gross as my parents,” Kaden muttered, scrubbing his face with his hand. Zachary laughed again and hugged Kaden, pulling the teen to his side.

“I’m not ashamed of that. In fact, I’ll take it as a compliment.” Kaden huffed again, glancing back up at the manor. He nodded toward his window.

“You wanna come inside and hang out? It’s kinda lonely in there all by myself,” Kaden offered. Zachary smiled at the teen and gave a nod.

“Sure. Maybe we can practice kissing,” Zach said. Kaden rolled his eyes and snorted.

“Practice kissing? That is the lamest excuse I’ve ever heard,” Kaden replied with a laugh, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to Zach’s lips. He pulled away, briefly and added “you don’t need an excuse to kiss me you idiot.”

“Noted,” Zachary replied with a little smirk, leaning in to kiss him again.

“And, by the way, Happy Valentine’s Day,” Kaden added, leading his boyfriend to the manor.


	69. Spring Break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaden was disappointed by his spring break trip with his mother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Prompt by kate1zena:** Spring break with Talia, and why he'd never want to go visit Talia ever again without Damian or something. "BUT DAD, IT WAS SO BORING."
> 
> This was fun, so very fun. xD I was prompted for Spring Break w/ Talia, but I never could figure out what to write for that one. But this one came fairly easily. Heh. Also, the ending is kind of crappy, but I couldn't find a way to end it, so...yeah. >.>;
> 
> At any rate, I hope you enjoy it. ^^

Kaden and his friends laughed as he pushed open the door to his apartment. Star pranced over moments later, tail wagging, coming to greet them. Kaden laughed and knelt down in front of the dog and she hopped up on him, licking his face as he hugged her, giving her a pat.

“Hey girl, how you doing,” he said with a little laugh as she nearly knocked him over. Star proceeded to greet both his friends before slipping back across the room to her doggy bed. It was sort of routine for her to greet whoever came through the door before returning to whatever she had been doing before, in this case, napping. 

Kaden, Michael and Melinda made their way inside, laughing harder when Melinda nearly tripped over the door mat.

“Jesus, they should rename you Grace,” Michael joked between snorts of held back laughter. Melinda snorted and swatted Michael’s arm, earning a mock pout in reply. Kaden laughed in amusement and wrapped his arms around both his friends’ shoulders.

“God, you guys should join the circus, you’d make good clowns,” Kaden said. Michael snorted in reply and playfully shoved Kaden toward his bedroom.

“Please, dude, you’re the biggest clown of them all. Plus, one of your dads was actually a circus boy,” Michael pointed out. Kaden shrugged, a goofy grin on his face as he walked backward toward his bedroom.

“Jealous? Not everyone gets to be the son of a famous Flying Grayson,” Kaden replied, giving a bow. Melinda gave a snort and a dismissive hand wave as she followed her two friends to Kaden’s bedroom.

“As if. Frankly, it’s freaky how you acrobats bend and move like that. Like, seriously, how the hell do you do a full split without ripping your ‘boys’ in half,” Melinda snorted, smirk on her face and both Michael and Kaden laughed.

“Years of practice,” Kaden replied, inviting his friends into his room. Michael flopped down onto a beanbag chair in a corner of the room, and Melinda made herself comfortable on the bed, laying back and stretching out across it. Kaden stood before the bed and quirked an eyebrow.

“What?” she asked innocently. Kaden rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Move your fat ass,” Kaden joked. Melinda snorted and threw a pillow at him.

“I was here first. Go park your ass somewhere else,” she jabbed back. Michael snorted at her reply and called from his corner of the room.

“Technically, Kaden was here first. I mean, he grew up here after all.” Melinda waved her hand dismissively.

“Fuck your technicalities!” Melinda replied triumphantly. Kaden opened his mouth to speak when a knock sounded at his door. He turned and saw his papa watching them.

“Hey, Kaden. Michael, Melinda,” Dick said with a smile, nodding to each of them. Michael sat up right and gave a wave and Melinda looked inhis direction and gave a nod of acknowledgement.

“Uh, hi Mr. Grayson,” Michael said politely, earning a snicker of amusement from Kaden. Dick glanced over at the teen who shrugged innocently.

“Please, Michael, call me Dick. Kaden, your dad wants to talk to you,” Dick said smoothly. Kaden’s face paled a bit.

“I didn’t do it! I swear!” He said and Dick laughed, waving his hand dismissively.

“You’re not in trouble, but whatever you ‘didn’t do’, I’m sure you did it,” Dick replied. Kaden heaved a sigh and followed his papa out of the room and into the living room where his father appeared to be just getting back from the manor.

“Kaden. Hey,” Jason called, kicking off his boots. He pulled his son into a hug and ruffled his hair, a grin on his face as the teen playfully shoved him away.

“Dad. What’s up?” Kaden asked. Jason frowned for a few seconds, then crossed his arms over his chest.

“Your mother would like to take you with her when she leaves Gotham again. For a week or so,” Jason said evenly. He didn’t like it, and you could hear it in his tone, see it in his body language. Kaden groaned and let his arms fall by his side in a defeated manner.

“Awww, really? But daaad! Spring Break was so boring!” Kaden whined, moving across the room and flopping down on the couch. He heaved another sigh and scrubbed his face with his hands. He shook his head and went on “she was always working and I couldn’t go anywhere without some weirdo bodyguards following me around everywhere. I couldn’t even go outside without them! It. Was. Boring!” 

Dick and Jason exchanged amused glances, obviously believing he was exaggerating, but Jason was also somewhat pleased. In all honesty, he’d been reluctant to let Talia take Kaden for the whole week of spring break, or even at all. Which was justified considering her past, and the many times she’d manipulated Damian. Talia seemed to have changed a bit since then, however. Possibly due to seeing the utter insanity she saw in her father after his countless uses of the Lazarus Pit. Regardless, he still didn’t trust her.

“Well, it’s up to you, Kaden. But she said she wanted to make it up to you,” Jason said with a shrug. Kaden blushed a little, because that meant she knew how bored he was. He was trying to hide it from her, because, well…he figured she was trying, at least.

“What?” he asked in surprise. Jason smirked and gave a shrug.

“Yeah, she said she knows you were bored as hell and wanted to make it up to you. But it’s your call,” Jason replied. Kaden frowned and glared at his father.

“What’s the catch? You’re way too okay with this for there not to be a catch,” Kaden said suspiciously. Dick laughed and nudged his husband with his elbow, earning a glare from him.

“Maybe dad is going soft,” Dick joked. Jason snorted.

“Fat chance. I already went soft when I married your dumb ass,” Jason replied, earning a mock pout from Dick. Dick fell backwards into Jason’s arms with an arm over his eyes and the other over his heart.

“Jason, you wound me! I thought you loved me!” he said, playing it up. Jason snorted and dropped him and Dick landed on the floor with a thud and an ‘ow’.

“Count yourself lucky, drama queen,” Jason replied, earning a laugh from Kaden. Dick grinned and got back to his feet, brushing himself off and kissing Jason’s jaw.

“You’re both idiots,” Kaden said, rolling his eyes. Jason and Dick chuckled in amusement and Dick flopped down on the couch beside Kaden, wrapping and arm around him and pulling him to his side.

“Aw, Kaden, that’s not very nice!” Dick mock pouted, snuggling against Kaden. Kaden whined and tried to worm his way out of his papa’s arms, and trying not to laugh as the man started poking his sides.

“Papa, stop, you loser!” Kaden cried out with a laugh, falling off the couch with an ‘oomph.’ Kaden looked up at his father from his place on the floor, upside down on the couch. The man had a smug grin on his face, his arms crossed over his chest.

“Now who’s the loser?” Jason joked. Kaden frowned.

“Bite me,” Kaden replied playfully.

“Pass. So, what do I tell your mother” Jason asked. Kaden huffed, then moved to sit back on the couch beside Dick, who watched him curiously.

“I…guess I can give it another go. But if I die of boredom this time, I expect my epitaph to read “I told you so.”” Kaden answered. Dick snorted with held back laughter and Jason just rolled his eyes.

“You’re a brat. Now go play with your friends, so your papa and I can fuck on the couch.”

“Ew! I can’t hear you!” Kaden replied, making a disgusted face as he plugged his ears and retreating to his bedroom.

* * * * *

The next week passed by like a breeze, the house remarkably quiet with Kaden gone. Dick and Jason both laid on the couch, their hair still wet and both of them exhausted after having a little fun in the shower. Both men were dressed only in dorm pants, Jason laying back on the couch with Dick on top of him, on arm wrapped around the man’s waist.

“Did I ever mention how much I love shower sex?” Jason muttered, kissing the top of Dick’s head.

“Mention it? You don’t need to mention it with how you perform I there,” Dick replied with a smug grin, wiggling his eyebrows. Jason grinned and started to speak when the door flew open. Kaden came through with his side bag over his shoulder and a few other bags on his other. He seemed rather happy if the goofy grin on his face was anything to judge by.

“I’m home! And I come bearing gifts!” Kaden called cheerily, kicking off his boots. He glanced over to the couch and paled a little “ew. Please tell me-“

“No, Kaden, just relaxing,” Dick replied with a smile, grunting as he pushed himself up off of Jason, and the couch. He cracked his back, then stretched a bit, and Jason sat up right on the couch, stretching his arms a bit.

“Yeah, we fucked in the shower,” Jason replied with a smug grin. Kaden made a disgusted face and shook his head.

“TMI, dad. TMI. I didn’t need to know that,” Kaden muttered, shaking his head “I’ve already seen too much once before. Are you trying to scar me for the rest of my life?” Dick laughed and approached the teen, pulling him into a hug.

“It’s good to see you again baby bird,” Dick said cheerily, guiding the teen to the couch. Jason scooted over and Kaden sat beside him, Dick on his other side. Kaden dug through his bag and pulled out a book, _Leonardo’s Notebooks_ , written in Italian, and handed it to his father.

“Here dad. I know what a bookworm and huge nerd you are,” Kaden joked with a grin.

“Pfft, gee thanks,” Jason replid with a grin of his own as he flipped through the pages, sure enough, the entire book was written in Italian.

“So I thought maybe you’d like it,” Kaden finished with a shrug. Jason gave the teen a one-armed hug.

“It’s nice, thanks Kade,” Jason replied. Kaden dug through the bag again and this time, pulled out a box of chocolates. _Le Grand_ Grande Chocolate Truffles. He handed them to his papa and flashed a smile.

“I didn’t know what to get you, because you’re impossible to shop for,” Kaden said with a laugh “so I bought you some Italian chocolates. I hope you like them.” Dick smiled and kissed Kaden’s forehead, earning a playful shove and an ‘ew’.

“No worries, they look delicious,” he said, glancing over at Jason, wiggling his eyebrows “your dad and I will certainly have fun with these later.” Jason made a purring sound and Kaden jumped off the couch.

“God, you two are so gross! They’re not sex chocolates!” Kaden protested and Jason laughed out loud, scooting across the couch toward Dick, wrapping an arm around him and pulling him into a kiss.

“Kaden, any kind of chocolate can be used-“

“Ew, no, lalalala, I can’t hear you!” Kaden called, plugging his ears with his hands. Dick and Jason laughed out loud.

“So I take it you had fun this time?” Jason asked. Kaden smiled widely and nodded.

“Yes! It was so much fun! Mom took me to Italy and we saw Rome, and Venice, and then-“ Kaden went on excitedly, going on about all the sights he saw in Italy, France and Germany. He didn’t spare any details and though his mother did disappear a few times for ‘work’, and the fact that he had creepy weirdo bodyguards again, he had had a great time.

“Well it sounds like you had a good time,” Jason said with a grin and Kaden nodded.

“I did. It was a blast, and I was kind of hoping that, maybe…we could, y’know. Go places. For vacation. The three of us?” Kaden asked. Dick and Jason exchanged looks then turned back to Kaden.

“Sure. Ever been to Australia? We got this nice place in Sydney, compliments of you grandfather,” Jason asked. Kaden pulled another disgusted face.

“Ew. You mean where you and papa spent your honeymoon, and probably defiled the entire house?” Dick snorted with held back laughter and Jason grinned like the Cheshire Cat.

“Well, not the _entire_ house. I mean, there’s this one spot in the kitchen-“

“Ew, no, gross! Shut up!” Kaden called, fleeing to his bedroom.


	70. Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Batfamily takes a stroll down memory lane looking at old photo albums and find some not-so-flattering photos.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! We're back in time for the Arkham anniversary! Mykael has been without Internet the past few months (ew, I know), so we've been able to update Memento Mori, but here's something for the anniversary that he sent to me (and I edited.)

Kaden heaved a contented sigh as he came down the stairs, hair still damn from a nice, hot shower. He was barefoot with a pair of jeans on and a yellow Kid Flash T-shirt slung over his shoulders. He raked a hand through his damp hair as he came into the family room, pulling on the t-shirt. The entire family had come to the manor for the weekend to spend some time together; it had been months since they'd all been together like this; they tried to make time to be together, just the family, but between their work and the vigilante life, it'd been pretty rough.

 “Hey guys, what'd I miss?” Kaden called, leaning against the back of the couch. His parents were sitting on the couch with some old family photo albums. Damian was sitting in his usual arm chair and Tim was talking with Bruce in the man's study while Alfred was busy dusting.

 “Nothing baby bird, just a stroll down memory lane,” Dick replied with a smile, leaning back to look up at his son. Kaden snorted at a picture of his papa in what looked like a Robin costume, only with green shorts and pixie boots.

 “Ha, I remember this!” Dick said cheerily, pointing to the photo of him in his first Robin costume, standing in front of the Batmobile.

“Wow, you actually wore that?” Kaden scoffed, and Dick playfully shoved the teen.

“Hey, I was nine! And the idea was to look non-threatening! Y'know, so they'd underestimate me!” Kaden laughed in amusement at the idea as he reached down and flipped the page. He recognized his father on the next page; he and Bruce were in civvies, playing catch together. Bruce had his arm around Jason's shoulders and the too of them were smiling, happy.

 “Aw, Jaybird! You're so adorable!” Dick cooed, kissing the man's jaw. Jason snorted, a smirk on his face as he rolled his eyes and leaned over, flipping the page. His face turned pink at a photo on the next page.

 “Change the page!” Jason blurted, climbing over Dick to try and grab the photo album.

“Oh my god!” Dick said, a grin splitting his face as he held it out of Jason's reach, tossing it to Kaden.

“Now I gotta see it!” Kaden said with a grin.

“Kaden, come back here with that or you're grounded 'till you're thirty!” Jason called playfully, trying to climb over Dick and the couch after Kaden. Damian snorted at the scene, sipping his tea and rolling his eyes, but even he was curious now. He motioned Kaden over and the teen came to stand beside him, showing him the photo.

 It was a picture of Jason in his Robin costume, sitting on the couch and covered in a blanket, leaning against Bruce. The man was in his Batman costume, with a smile on his face and a TV remote in hand.

 “Burn it! It's a security risk!” Jason called, pointing toward the photo album.

“No way!” Dick replied, getting the upper hand; he pushed Jason playfully back against the couch, pinning him down underneath him. “I want a copy of it! You're adorable Jaybird.”

 Alfred chuckled behind Damian and Kaden as he looked over their shoulders at the photo.

 “Ah yes, I remember that night,” Alfred said fondly as he returned to his work. All eyes were on him as they waited for him to explain. He seemed to almost sense that they were waiting for him to continue.

 “Master Jason had come down with a cold. Stubborn as he was, he insisted on joining Master Bruce on patrol.”

 “Sounds like my dad,” Kaden snickered.

 “As if you are one to talk, Master Kaden,” Alfred said with a slight smirk, glancing at the teen over his shoulder. He turned back to the fireplace, dusting off some of the picture frames there as he continued. “As I was saying, Master Bruce sympathized, and so instead of going on patrol, he stayed with Master Jason and they watched television, until he fell asleep.”

 “Aaaaw, that's so adorable!” Dick cooed, earning a mock gagging noise from Jason.

“Please, I am NOT cute,” Jason replied. He opened his mouth to speak again but he was cut off when Dick sealed his lips against Jason's in a deep kiss. Kaden and Damian both made mock gagging noises and Dick glanced over his shoulder and laughed at them.

 Kaden took the photo album and flopped down in an arm chair opposite of his half-brother and flipped through the pages. He looked up as his parents, then at Alfred, and cleared his throat to get their attention.

 “Are there, um...any of me in here?” Kaden asked. Dick pushed himself up and tugged Jason up with him. Jason slid out from underneath his husband and approached their son, gingerly taking the photo album away from him.

 “Not in this one, baby bird,” he said, ruffling the teen's hair. He placed it on the coffee table and grabbed another one. “That one ends with your uncle, Tim. This one starts with Damian,” Jason explained, handing him another one. Kaden glanced up at Damian to see his half-brother fidget a bit nervously as he opened their album. He grinned at him and flipped through the first page.

 “What's the matter, Dames, afraid I'll see something embarrassing?” Kaden teased. Damian snorted derisively, giving a dismissive hand wave.

 “There's nothing in there for me to be embarrassed about, simpleton,” Damian scoffed. Kaden let out a laugh as he held up the photo album for Damian to see. On one of the pages, was a picture of a young Damian, maybe ten or eleven, sound asleep in bed. Beside him, was Dick, with an arm draped over the boy's chest, also fast asleep.

 Damian blushed crimson and choked on his tea. He lurched up off of the couch and attempted to grab the album out of Kaden's hands.

 “Give that to me! _Now_!” Damian growled. Kaden laughed and tossed it to his father. Jason snatched it out of the air and took a look at the picture.

 “Well, looks like someone's got a mushy center,” Jason teased. Damian growled and stalked toward Jason and snatched the album from him, taking the picture out of the album.

 “It needs to be destroyed.”

“I think not,” Alfred said smoothly, snatching the photo from Damian. Damian opened his mouth to protest, but Alfred gave him a quick look before tucking the picture into his pocket. Damian glared after the old man but huffed in annoyance as he tossed the album back to Kaden and flopped back down in his chair.

 “Aw, you still have an adorable pout,” Dick teased.

 “Bite me, Grayson.”

 Kaden continued flipping through the pages while his parents and Damian argued, or teased each other; it was hard to tell the difference sometimes, especially from Damian's side. After he flipped through a few more pages, Kaden stopped when he finally came to a page with some baby pictures. He stopped at one, running a finger over it; it was him, and he could hardly believe it. A younger Jason was sitting on a couch and holding a baby in his arms. The baby had jet black locks, bright jade eyes, and a huge smile on his face.

 “That was taken shortly after we brought you home,” Dick said softly from behind him. Kaden looked up at his papa, his dad standing on his other side, both looking down at the picture.

 “Hard to imagine its been almost seventeen years, huh Dickie?” Jason asked with a smile. Dick glanced over at him and smiled back, leaning over for a quick kiss. Kaden smiled at his parents before he looked down at the picture again. He looked at one on the opposite page; this time it was of him and his papa. Dick was holding baby Kaden up in the air, a huge smile on his face. There were more like that for the next few pages.

 “That was the day our family felt whole,” Alfred said softly, smiling from ear to ear, as he glanced at the photos of Kaden's first day with the family. He ruffled Kaden's hair before leaving the room to retrieve Tim and Bruce. Jason grabbed the photo album and flipped a few pages forward before handing it back to Kaden.

 “There's a good memory,” Jason said with a grin. The three of them were smiling happily, dressed in winter clothes and out in the snow. Kaden was sitting on his father's shoulders and Dick was kissing the man's jaw.

 “I remember that. We had a huge snowball fight afterward, here at the manor,” Kaden said, looking up at his father cheerily. Jason chuckled in amusement and ruffled the teen's hair.

 “You've got a good memory,” he replied.

 “And this one will go in the albums as well,” Alfred said smoothly, placing a rather expensive looking camera on top of the fireplace.

 “What'd we miss?” Bruce asked.

 “Just terrorizing each other over old memories and photos,” Dick said honestly with a laugh. Tim grinned and playfully punched his brother's arm.]

 “So I missed all the fun?”

 “Not quite. Everyone gather around the sofa,” Alfred called. Bruce sat down in the middle of the couch with Damian and Dick on either side of him. Kaden sat down cross legged in front of the couch, and Jason, Tim and Alfred stood behind them all.

 “Everyone say 'Batman'!” Dick called.

 “Batman!” Just before the camera flashed, Jason leaned down and pressed a kiss to Dick's cheek, Bruce ruffled Damian's hair, and Kaden had jumped up onto the couch, forcing himself between his papa and grandfather with his arms wrapped around their shoulders.

 


	71. A Year Later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been a year since Kaden's kidnapping. Spoiler free for the events of MM.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Mykael and I (mostly me) had the idea of whilst we are in the trenches of doom and gloom in Memento Mori (which has made it most difficult to write), we would write a little upswing to give you an idea of their life post-MM without giving away anything. You can read this safely without any worry of being spoiled. This introduces a character we'll see more of if we do more snap shots (or stories. Oh my good heavens, more stories. o.o) beyond MM.

Kaden sandwiched himself between Roy and Jason as they - plus Lian and Dick - walked up the stairs to the Manor for family dinner night. Spike - a three-year-old German Shepherd mix they were training to be his service dog - stayed calmly by his feet. Even after a year, Kaden still preferred to be tucked between two people when he was out in public; it helped him feel more secure. Dick rubbed his shoulder thoughtfully from behind as they reached the landing.

"Bad day?" Kaden nodded. He had woken up covered in sweat, sheets tangled around him, and Star's head on the bed in comfort. She had become quite arthritic in the past year, so she couldn't jump on the bed anymore, but she still made do with comforting him as she could. He had also found Spike doing his job by putting his big paws and head on his chest to calm him down. 

Dick nodded solemnly and hugged his boy from behind and kissed the top of his hair. "If you start getting anxious, tell one of us and we'll leave."

"Papa, you say that every time. I got it." 

"We mean it. It sucks to have no out when your having an anxiety attack," Jason chimed in, "That's why we say it every time. We want you to know you have an out. Every. Single. Time. Hey, Alfred." He smiled and hugged the elderly butler deeply as he opened the door. 

"Master Jason," the aged butler greeted and returned the hug warmly. Butlers were not supposed to play favorites, but most anyone would tell you Alfred had a special place for Jason.  Those two shared much in common. He let Jason in, then smiled warmly. "Mistress Lian and Master Roy, it's a pleasure to see you once again." They smiled brightly as they walked in. "Master Dick and Master Kaden. And who is this?" he said with a twinkle in his eye.

"This is Spike, Alfie. He's in training."

"Welcome Spike."

They walked into the den and were greeted by the whole family - Tim, Conner, Selina, Bruce, Babs and Damian - plus a face they had never before seen. She had quickly delved back into conversation with Damian, who was _laughing_ , and from the side they could see her warm coriander skin tone, curly brown shoulder length hair held away from her face with a jeweled pin and warm brown eyes. She was wearing a green knee-length dress that was fitted on the top and flared out at the waist with brown Oxford high heels. She and Damian were completely ignorant to the looks every one else was throwing them as they had no idea who this person was. 

Bruce coughed, "Damian. Would you like to introduce your guest?" Damian looked up, shook his head and smiled at his guest before standing up with his guest.

"I am sorry. Sira, this is my father, Bruce Wayne; his fiancee, Selina Kyle; our dear family friend, Barbara Gordon; my brother, Tim Drake and his fiance, Conner Kent; my brother, Dick Grayson and his husband, Jason Todd-Grayson and their son, Kaden, and this is their dear friend Roy Harper and his daughter, Lian Harper." Sira smiled warmly, shaking each other hands and responding to each of their hellos in kind. "Everyone, this is Sira Flores. She is my girlfriend."

The reactions were immediate. Tim's, Conner's and Jason's mouths all dropped open, trying to make some sort of sound but none happening. Roy and Lian couldn't guage the situation because they truly didn't know Damian well enough. Kaden stood there, stunned. He watched as his papa went over to Damian and hugged him warmly before going over to Jason and shutting his gaping mouth. Selina gripped Bruce's arm because she refused to let him ruin the moment by saying something stupid. 

"H-how? How _long_?" Kaden stuttered out, reaching out to pet Spike. While he was kidnapped? Before he was kidnapped? 

Damian wrapped his arm around Sira, who responded in kind and replied, "Almost a year. It was right after we got you back, Kaden.” Kaden frowned at that.

Sira put her free hand on her chin, "June, so 11 months."  

Kaden made a silent screaming sound as if he couldn't believe it. "How...how on Earth did you –“

"Dinner is served. Congratulations, Master Damian," Alfred said smartly as he opened the den doors.

"Wait –“ Bruce started.

"Alfred knows _everything_ ," Dick filled in. Kaden snickered as he filed out of the door into the formal dining room. The dining room table was huge, capable of seating at least twenty people. It was set with plates of Rib eye steak with soy and ginger marinade with sides of steamed broccoli and garlic baked potatoe, with a glass of wine beside each plate, with soda beside Kaden and Lian's. In the middle fo the table, was a basket full of freshly baked dinner rolls, a bowl of stuffed mushrooms, as well as various homemade steak sauces, sour cream, and cheese sauce.

"Mmm, looks good Alfred," Jason complimented, pulling out a chair and sitting down at the table. Kaden sat beside him, with Dick on his other side.

"Oh yeah, I can't wait to eat! Looks delicious!" Roy piped up, licking his lips as he sat beside Dick, with Lian beside her father. Bruce sat at the head of the table and Selina sat beside him, joined by Damian and Sira.

Damian glanced around the room at each of them, waiting for the inevitable game of Twenty Questions. He'd prepared for this for weeks in advance, prepared Sira for it as well, because to say his family was _eccentric_ , would be to _greatly_ undersell it.

Once everyone was settled and enjoying the meal, Damian had expected to be pelted with questions. Surprisingly, things at the dinner table were quiet. That was _not_ a good thing.

"Okay, I'll ask first," Kaden finally spoke up, taking a sip of his soda and glancing toward Sira and Damian. "How did you guys meet? And when? I mean, it's just shocking that a person exists than can stand my stick-in-the-mud brother," Kaden asked, his lips curling into a smirk. Damian glared at him and stabbed at a piece of steak.

"Half-brother, thankfully," he retorted.

"Dami, I thought we talked about that. Brothers are brothers," Sira gently chided while Damian groaned. Dick smiled at that; he liked Sira all ready. 

"Damian and I originally met in undergrad. I was in school for Equestrian Studies and he was going to school for business nearby. We at a club of all places and we starting getting to know each other, then date. We broke up and went our separate ways. I competed as an eventer and taught students at the same time; he started taking over his family's business. 

About a year ago, I was in the city to teach a seminar on dressage; I was on the way to the train late at night when I heard a scuffle in the alley." Damian started to groan at this. "Not knowing if I was about to be attacked, I took out my mace as precaution.  I turned to look and saw what appeared to be three goons attacking a man dressed up as Batman. Thinking the man dressed as Batman needed some help, I aimed the mace at the goons and sprayed them; unfortunately, I ended up spraying the bat instead, but goons certainly don't like mace - especially when it's been dyed bright neon pink – so they fled."

Damian put his hand to his eyes, as if he could still feel the pain of the pepper spray. Bruce was looking hard trying to understand why he was in pain. Jason and Roy had tears streaming down their faces from laughing.

"Turns out no matter how impenetrable you think your cowl is, mace can still penetrate your nose and mouth," Damian added numbly. Kaden started cackling from his spot.

"I was shocked for a moment as it finally hit me that I recognized that scream from one time Damian took me to a haunted house and I scared him when I jumped on him. I was thinking, 'Why is Damian Wayne in a Batman suit? Has he lost his _mind_? It's not Halloween. Is there some costume party I'm unaware of? That has to be it. Oh my God, I just maced Damian Wayne,' and I ran into the nearest convenience store to get napkins and whole milk so I could neutralize the effects of the mace. Poor Damian's face was entirely neon pink. It took a gallon to neutralize the mace and get rid most of the burns, but I told him the actual oil wasn't gone, just the burns. He was still a bit disoriented, so I asked him if he wanted me to drive him to his house and he said no, he'd drive me home. He ended up driving me home in this crazy black car I later learned was called the Batmobile. We caught up over while I was cleaning off the oil and I learned about his night life after I inquired about why he was dressed as a bat. We started laughing about the whole incident once we ordered cheese pizza because who knew Batman wasn't equipped to deal with lowly pepper spray?" 

Everyone was laughing, except Bruce who was glaring at Damian.  

"She _knows_?" Bruce growled at Damian from the head of the table. Sira stopped mid-lift of her stuffed mushroom and looked at Damian concerned.  

"Bruce -" Selina started, holding Bruce's right hand firmly.

"Don't," he snapped at her, slipping his hand out of hers and looked at his son to his left, "Damian."

Sira slowly set her fork down, pushed her seat back and stood up and put her hand on his shoulder with the firm pressure he loved. "I think perhaps you need to talk with your dad about this...without me here," she said in his ear softly, then kissed the side of his head warmly before leaving the room. Damian watched her leave tenderly, then turned to look at his father. 

"Yes, Father, she knows. I told her that day because it was the reason we broke up the first time. I knew if I did not tell her, I'd lose her again. It didn't help I was incredibly fragile over everything, yet everything was about Kaden's well being, so it helped to talk to someone I knew and trusted that wasn't my family."

"Wasn't Sira that one girl you became upset over when she dumped you?" Dick asked. Damian looked away and nodded. Dick smiled warmly at him. "I'm glad she's back in your life. She's great for you. I've never seen you smile or laugh so much."

"It is weird to see you laugh. I thought someone had replaced you with a nicer clone of you," Kaden quipped. Dick glared at him. "Hey, I'm only speaking the truth. The guy does not smile."

"I think it's nice you found someone for you," Tim chimed in, "It's great seeing you happy." Damian gave a small smile to Tim as the others agreed while Bruce still looked sorely at Damian.

Selina stood up and walked over to Damian and whispered, "You let me work on your father. You get your Sira back." He gave a gave one of his rare dazzling smiles when she said _your Sira_ , stood up and went to fetch her. He found her in the den, nursing a glass of wine, contemplating. 

"He doesn't hate you." She looked up, smiled wanly and set the glass down.

"No, he just dislikes that I'm not a hero like all of you." 

"Hm. He's going to have to get over it because I don't want you to be like us," he sat down next to her and held her. 

"Sure about that?" she inquired, smiling up at him.

"Very.”

She snuggled with him for a few long moments then quipped, “Did you see the way Kaden reacted when we said _a year_?" Damian chuckled. "I have to know. I just _have_ to know."

 


End file.
